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WEHI-TV CSF Animations
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Select an animation from the table below
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Displayed Animation: White Blood Cell Attacking E.coli Bacteria
Displayed Animation: Stem Cells that Live Inside Your Bone Marrow
Displayed Animation: Colony Formation
Displayed Animation: Stem Cells in the Blood Stream
Displayed Animation: View Inside the Blood
Displayed Animation: Attacking the Infection
Displayed Animation: Close-up of the G-CSF molecule
Displayed Animation: Close-up of the Surface of a Stem Cell
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A white blood cell (bottom left) has come across a bacterial infection (bullet shaped objects) on epidermal tissue. Cells near the infection are producing CSF, a molecular message that calls for help (yellow particles drifting across the top).
The scale and structure of the white blood cell and bacteria was derived from numerous Scanning Electron Micrographs of granulocyte cells attacking E.coli bacteria.
The original intention was to take this animation much further, with various close ups of the bacteria and their effect on the epidermal cells beneath them, etc. Consequently a great deal of attention was given to the movement and structure of the white blood cell (neutrophil), bacteria and surrounding epidermal cells. Unfortunately, most of the detail is lost at this camera distance, and because of a shift in animation schedules, the additional close up animations were scrapped. Yet another learning experience.
Bone -> Bone Marrow -> Stem Cells. This animation was designed to introduce the stem cells that live inside your bone marrow. CSFs stimulate these cells to grow and develop into armies of white blood cells. CSF can be seen drifting in from the right hand side, stimulating the stem cell at the centre to grow and divide.
A medium shot of bone marrow. Stimulated by CSF, the stem cells (pink) are dividing and forming colonies (hence the name Colony Stimulating Factor). Some of the stem cells transform into white blood cells and migrate into the blood, others migrate while remaining as stem cells.
Basic animation of stem cells (and/or white blood cells) travelling in the blood.
View inside blood of a few stem cells (and/or white blood cells) travelling in the blood. White blood cells follow the 'scent' of CSF to the infection site.
The new army of white blood cells attacks and cleans up the bacterial infection.
A close up of the G-CSF molecule surrounded by water (H2O) molecules.
The model for the G-CSF molecule was obtained from the Protein Data Bank.
The relative size of the water molecules is to scale.
A 'molecular view' close up of the surface of a stem cell. The blue, rod-shaped G-CSF receptor molecule acts as an antenna, tuned for G-CSF. The G-CSF molecule is in yellow. The fluid grey surface is the plasma membrane, with various brown proteins drifting about. The interior of the stem cell is beneath the plasma membrane. White stringy structures are polysaccharide (sugar) molecules. Y-shaped antibodies and other extracellular molecules are buzzing about above the cell.
In order for the G-CSF signal to be transmitted, two receptor molecules, each with attached G-CSF must come into contact with each other. The mechanism of their 'finding each other' is unknown, so in this animation they are simply shown to drift together. The two G-CSF molecules attach and hold together the two receptor molecules. The G-CSF signal can then be transmitted through the plasma membrane into the interior of the cell. This triggers a molecular cascade of events inside the cell, culminating in the growth, division and development of the stem cell into granulocyte white blood cells. A similar process occurs with GM-CSF and the production of macrophages.
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© Copyright 2008 The Walter & Eliza Hall Institute.
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