Developing Two Bioanalytical Sensing Platforms Essay

2. Explain your observations in detail in terms of concentration gradient, diffusion, osmosis, osmotic pressure, passive transport, and active transport.

This experiment was centered on metabolic and biochemical testing procedures. The rationale of performing these tests was to distinguish six different microbes from one another and to compare how their metabolic and biochemical processes differ from species to species to determine the unknown sample.

The absorption of proteins as well as thrombus formation on the pH sensors has been known

Neutrophils and wandering macrophages (originating form monocytes) were most likely the WBCs that phagocytized the tissues and pathogens early in Ed's infection. They gather at sites of infection or inflammation by means of emigration. They are

a. This function is mediated by T cells and B cells (memory cells) in our body via adaptive immunity. The adaptive immune system evolved in early vertebrates and allows for a stronger immune response as well as immunological memory, where each pathogen is “remembered” by a signature antigen. The adaptive immune response is antigen-specific and requires the recognition of specific “non-self” antigens during a process called antigen presentation. Antigen specificity allows for the generation of responses that are tailored to specific pathogens or pathogen-infected cells. The ability to mount these tailored responses is maintained in the body by memory cells. Should a pathogen infect the body more than once, these specific memory cells are used to quickly eliminate it. So basically killer T cells will identify antigens present on foreign cells. These antigens are not found in any of the cells inside our body. Therefore, T cells will identify them and kill them.

Innate Immune System – Nonspecific and abrupt first response; comprised of epithelial surfaces (physical barriers), neutrophils, and macrophages.

2. NOD proteins (p.456): Another set of receptors for PAMPs that are located inside a cell rather as part of a cell’s cytoplasmic membrane.

capsulatum must overcome numerous in vivo microenvironmental challenges to cause disease. The immediate host response is the stimulation of the macrophage’s microbicidal properties: oxidative stress, acidic pH, degradative stress caused by hydrolytic enzymes present in the lysosome, and nutrient (zinc and iron) deprivation6,7. Despite the harsh intracellular environment of the macrophage, H. capsulatum has evolved various mechanisms to evade destruction by the macrophage8. Inhaled yeasts can travel via the lymph nodes to the liver and spleen and cause disseminated infection. There activated macrophages and other host components surround the infected cells forming a circular wall of aggregated inflammatory cells or granuloma6,9. The granuloma functions to inhibit H. capsulatum growth and replication by restricting access to oxygen and nutrients and exposing the fungi to acidic pH and other immune effectors10,11. However, the fungus within the granuloma may also benefit from this isolated microenvironment. The granuloma may provide shelter from destruction by the host, and can serve as the source from which surviving pathogens emerge during reactivation of latent

They are a type of a granulocyte white blood cells. Neutrophils are number one in abundance of all white blood cell types and are very quick in arriving at microbial infection site. Neutrophils are very effective in fighting bacterial and fungal infections. Neutrophils are phagocytes by nature and they kill microbes by ingesting it. They can also kill microbes externally by granulation which is a release of anti-microbial microbes. Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (NET) is also the other method that neutrophils use to prevent microbes from causing a damage to our body. Neutrophils are not Antigen Presenting

For cell communication, the cell membrane has signaling molecules called glycolipids, lipids that have a carbohydrate and are bonded by a glycosidic bond. There are different proteins that belong in the phospholipid bilayer and each of them have a function. Channel proteins are designed to allow diffusion of molecules through small openings. Carrier proteins have binding sites and work by targeting specific molecules to allow for passage through gate channels. Receptor proteins triggers a release of molecules that stimulate cellular responses, for example the release of hormones through the synaptic cleft. Proteins that use tags to identify cells to the immune system are known as cell recognition proteins. Proteins also include enzymes and they perform metabolic reactions in the body. The transport across the membrane allow for particles with no charge or small ones to pass through, such as carbon dioxide. However, water cannot pass through easily across and needs the assistance of an aquaporin, a channel protein, to move through the bilayer. There are two types of transport: passive and active

6. There are bacteria everywhere but we do not get sick from them all the time due to our immune systems. Our immune systems are constantly fighting intruders in the body that can be considered hostile. Once the bacteria is identified by the body special immune cells literally attack and eat the bacteria. By using the chemical markers which were present in that bacteria the immune cells which identify threats can then be prepared to identify them in case of for another

If a pathogen breaches barriers: innate immune response result into an immediate effect of non- specific response. All Innate immune systems derived from plants and animals, when a pathogen evades the innate response, a third layer of protection is possessed by vertebrates in which activation of adaptive immune system takes place. The immune system response adopts itself within an infection and pathogen recognition is improved. As a result of the improved response, its then retains itself when the pathogen is eliminated in form of an immunological memory and allows the adaptive immune system to mount faster and stronger when pathogen is encountered each time.

The survival of all organisms requires that they eliminate foreign invaders, such as infectious pathogens, and damaged tissues. These functions are mediated by a complex host response called inflammation.

By combining the standard cell based cytotoxicity assays with ECIS technique, we were able to study and analyze the underlying cellular

When RBCs are suspended in an isotonic solution, nothing should be observed as there will be no net water movement between the RBCs and the solution. Thus, when 200 µL of blood was added to 10mL isotonic saline (0,154 M NaCl), voltage of 0V is recorded. When RBCs are suspended in a hypertonic solution, for instance, 0.4 M NaCl, RBCs shrunk due to decrease in cell volume as water diffused out of the cells by osmosis. The protein concentration within the cells become greater and more light is scattered and a negative