Viral Attack Comic Book Adventure - Ask a Biologist

NO. 1

Table of Contents

Prologue...................................................................................... 1 Viral Attack Comic....................................................................2

The Story Behind the Scenes

Viruses.......................................................................................... 10 Epithelial Cell.............................................................................13 Macrophage............................................................................... 15 T-cells............................................................................................ 17 Cytotoxins................................................................................... 20 B-cell............................................................................................. 20 Memory Cells.............................................................................22 Words to Know..........................................................................24 Credits.......................................................................................... 25

Sholly Fisch

Original script

Kelly Dolezal

The Story Behind the Scenes

Sabine Deviche

Illustration

James Baxter & Sabine Deviche

Coloring

Web Version



Viral Attack is printed on FSC certified paper

Macrophages clean up viruses and call

the T-Cells

B-Cells clean up viruses and alert

other B-Cells

Killer T-Cells

destroy infected

cells with

Helper

cytotoxin T-Cells call

for backup

Epithelial cells make up most of your body

Prologue

There are battles that are fought each day around the planet. The invading forces are those of viruses and bacteria. Left alone they would take over and destroy every cell!

It is up to some key defense systems to battle and destroy these forces. Our immune system is one such defense system. A collection of special cells in our body are ready to attack any unwanted bacteria and virus. Together these cells are able to seek out and destroy unwanted viruses and return our bodies to their normal working order.

Cast

This story has young actors playing the role of the cells. Each cell has a special job that they do that helps our body do work and fight off infections like viruses. As you will see there are many different cells that work together to fight off infections like viruses.

Learn More

This icon lets you know that there is more you can learn about this topic in the Behind the Scenes story.

Words to Know

If you find a word you don't know that is blue, you can find out what it means by looking in the Words to Know on page 24.

Viruses

? Arizona Science Center & Ask A Biologist | Funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes for Health | Page 1

Our story begins with a sore throat, the kind that is red and hurts to swallow.

The attack started as a single virus that multiplied in the body to become an invading army. Left alone, they would take over and destroy every cell.

UGH H H

It is up to some key defense systems to battle and defeat these forces.

Lets see how these specialized cells that are part of the immune system work together to return our bodies to working order.

Our body has many types of cells. One type is called the epithelial cell.

This epithelial cell is nice and happy, but not for long...

hehehe

AHHH !!!

? Arizona Science Center & Ask A Biologist | Funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes for Health | Page 2

At first, the virus is inside just a few cells in the throat, not causing too much harm. The body doesnt even notice.

Hey, youre just one itsy bitsy virus. This isnt so bad.

But the problem with viruses is... they multiply! Two days later:

Ughh, I dont feel too good.

Im going to need some

help!

ALARM

ALARM

click

HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP

Uh-oh, too late!

R E

R U

MB L E

L UMB

? Arizona Science Center & Ask A Biologist | Funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes for Health | Page 3

HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP

What a mess! Look at all these

loose viruses.

We need to get these cleaned up

quickly

or the other epithelial cells will be

in terrible danger!!

Hello!

Youre just in time!

I heard your alarm.

Im Macrophage, the first member of the bodys immune system clean up

crew.

Lets get this mess cleaned up!

? Arizona Science Center & Ask A Biologist | Funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes for Health | Page 4

There are too many! Its more than I can clean

up by myself.

Time to call for backup.

T-Cells, we need your

help!

We need to do something quickly or these leftover viruses will attack other

epithelial cells.

AHHH !!!

thunk

thunk thunk

Where are the infected cells?

Hey Killer and Helper T-Cell. I

dont feel too good.

? Arizona Science Center & Ask A Biologist | Funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes for Health | Page 5

Looks like were too late for this one.

Killer T,

OK!

youll have to

destroy the

cell.

He has too

many viruses

Its the only

inside already.

way to stop more

viruses from being

released.

Viruses, meet my cytotoxin

gun!

click-click

CLICK

? Arizona Science Center & Ask A Biologist | Funded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes for Health | Page 6

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