Neutrophils at Work!
Note: this is a complete redo of Neutrophils at Work! (only one "!" instead of two), and I got rid of the "*"s and copied some ideas from other fanfiction writers, such as the information boxes where you need them, mitochondrions for a heart, and nucleus for a brain.
A day working hard for the body is always a job-well-done, but what stories do the Neutrophils tell? This story follows Granulocyte 11αU-9864 and squad, a group of Granulocytes working hard for their body. They live and work in a Mexican-American male body, a body that is eight years old to be exact.
1.00 Prologue
Gran_11.06αηUE-9800 looked at all her comrades that she commanded through her blue glasses, the Granulocyte Squadron Gran_11.06αηUΕ-98. Though they still lived in the Sternum Red Bone Marrow, they were nearing maturity as Mature Granulocytes, they were Band Cells, gathering around Gran_11.06αηUE-9800 and her copies for her announcement.
Granulocytes
Granulocytes are a type of White Blood Cell that are categorized by the granules in their cytoplasm. They all start off as Myeloid Progeneraters in the Bone Marrow, then mature into either Mast Cells or Myeloblasts. The Mast Cells do not take part in the Squadrons as they mostly reside inside the tissue.
The Squadron consisted of Banded Granulocytes, no Mast Cells. Every cell in her Squadron had Tuscan Tan skin, that mirrored the Body's skin tone. They all crowded around her to hear the announcement near the Erythroblast's Red Bone Marrow.
Types of Granulocytes
There are four types of Granulocytes; Mast Cells, Neutrophils, Eosinophils, and Basophils. Mast Cells develop directly from Myeloid Progeneraters, whereas Neutrophils, Eosinophils, and Basophils develop from Myeloblasts into Promyelocytes, then into Myelocytes, Metamyelocytes, and develope into Banded Granulocytes and finally into Mature Granulocytes.
Mast Cells live in the Tissue, and secrete chemical mediators called histamines and produce cytokines known as Leukotrienes. Neutrophils are the most common of Granulocytes, and are the Immune System's first line of White Blood Cell defense using Phagocytosis (process of eating foreign substances), NETs (Neutrophil Extracellular Traps), Degranulation (antimicrobials) and cytokine production. Eosinophils specialize in Allergic Reactions and attacks against Parasites, they can also use Phagocytosis but not very well. Basophils specialize in Allergic Reactions, but can also produce a substance that draws Eosinophils and Neutrophils to the area.
She saw Neutrophils like her in combat boots, L-selectin pants, and army jackets, all cloths in Baby Powder White. Each Granulocyte carried a Transceiver that worked using Chemotaxis connected to a head microphone, and could download information and other things. The girl Neutrophils had longer jackets, whereas the boys had shorter ones. 11αU-9800 saw a few Basophils walking by in long aquamarine rain jackets, L-selectin and umbrellas, the boys had a wool winter cap, and the girls had pink gloves. And last, but not least, the Eosinophils came. The Eosinophils all wore matching L-selectin pants and jackets, the girls wearing pink and the boys wearing purple. The Neutrophils carried two Mercheties in their sheaths on their backs and two bag-pockets full of Kunai Knives, the Eosinophils carrying Bidents, and the Basophils carrying umbrellas, and a scattered few wearing glasses.
"Alright, everyone is here." Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9800 said in a low voice, and stood on a platform overlooking the Red Bone Marrow with her five copies. "So, today is the day we finally leave the Sternum Bone Marrow!" Her first copy,Gran_11.06αηUΕ-98.0001, said. "Banded Granulocytes usually cannot leave the Bone Marrow! But we are an exception!" Her second copy said.
"Ever since the Body has entered Mexico to visit family, the living conditions have worsened!" She, Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9800 said at the top of her voice for all the copies and non-copies could hear her announcement. "Less pure water! More food, but extended periods between meals! Sometimes even poor air quality! And most of all, more frequent bacterial invasions than usual cropping up everywhere!" She said. "That's where we come in! The Immune System needs all the help it can get, that's why Band Cells are being sent out of the Bone Marrow earlier than usual! This body is currently experiencing a Left Shift!" Her fourth copy yelled.
Left Shift
A Left Shift happens when a large amount of foreign substances invades the Body, and not enough White Blood Cells are produced in the Bone Marrow. When this happens, a large amount of immature White Blood Cells are released into the blood from the Bone Marrow to combat the invaders.
"So we need to rise up! And fight for our BODY!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9800 said, and raised her machete high. "Are you with me?!" She yelled. "Yeah!" Her fellow Granulocytes shouted back and raised their weapons high. "GRANULOCYTES IN SQUADRON 11aU-98 ARE TO HEAD TO THE SINUSOIDS!" An alarm blared overhead. "YOU HEARD THEM! FOR THE BODY!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9800.0005 said, and got the Granulocytes to the Sinusoids.
Sinusoid
Sinusoids are a type of capillary, they have open parts wide enough for cells to pass through. The Sinusoids in the Bone Marrow work as passages for mature cells to pass through into the blood stream.
The Sinusoids had gigantic mechanical doors opening and closing, that would allow the Blood Cells to pass through. "Alright everyone! Pass through!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9800.0001 said, and lead them into the Sinusoid. The Sinusoid had a purple frame on the glass ceiling, red-blue-white tiles, and concrete-brick walls with signs posted on them and pipes running along them. The Granulocytes scrambled into the Sinusoid, and squished themselves into the Blood Vessel outside the Bone Marrow. Today is the day our work truly begins. Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9800 thought.
0=0=0
The Vein's cell cultures loomed over Eryth_11.06γαACR-3752, a male Red Blood Cell with red glasses. "Come on 3752! Your going to get lost!" Another Red Blood Cell, a girl Erythrocyte, in RBC Vein uniform, glasses, brown-blond hair, and a fanny pack-like bag with the number Eryth_11.06γαACR-3789 printed on it. "Um… right!" Eryth_11.06γαACR-3752 said, and followed his friend to the other newly enucleated Erythrocytes carrying carbon dioxide.
Erythrocytes
Erythrocytes, often called Red Blood Cells due to their red color from the presence of hemoglobin in their cytoplasm, carry oxygen (O2 or Dioxide), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nutrients (and others such as waste products other than CO2, hormones, and toxic substances that come from outside the body). They are form from Erythroblasts, who have a nucleus and can divide, and when they mature they reject their nucleus and become incapable of dividing.
Our teacher, female Erythrocyte Eryth_11.06βπWRS-2741, who wore a blue-pink yarn bracelet and had red hair, led us to another Blood Vessel. "Alright rookies! Right in front of you is the Superior Vena Cava!" Eryth_11.06βπWRS-2742 said in an excited-happy voice. "This Vein collects blood from the upper body and joins with the Inferior Vena Cava at the Heart!" She said.
"ATTENTION ALL CELLS! THE BODY'S STRESS LEVEL IS RISING!" A speaker overhead blared. "Wait! What?" Eryth_11.06γαACR-3752 said. "ADRENAL GLANDS ARE TO PRODUCE HORMONES ADRENALINE AND NOREPINEPHRINE!" Blared the alarm once more. "Sending signal!" A nearby cell, with a big head and no hair growing on it in a business suit, a neuron. And right then purple and blue fog came out of air vents and from other blood vessels near the Adrenal Glands.
Hormones Adrenaline and Norepinephrine
Adrenaline and Norepinephrine are both stress hormones, they are also the most common stress hormones. Adrenaline (the "Fight or Flight Hormone") is a hormone that is reacted to immediately, produced when a stressful situation appears suddenly. Adrenaline causes rapid heart beat, sweating, and heavy breathing. It also gives a burst of energy to get out of the situation and more focus.
Norepinephrine, like Adrenaline, arouses the body to face the situation at hand, it also can direct blood to more crucial spots such as the lungs to run away or fight.
"Cough cough everyone! Cough cough get to work immediately!" Eryth_11.06βπWRS-2742 said, and charged into the fog as the group of rookies pushed their carts behind her. "ATTENTION ALL RED BLOOD CELLS! CONTINUE CIRCULATING AND DELIVERING OXYGEN AS FAST AS POSSIBLE IMMEDIATELY!" The speaker blared once more. "You heard our orders! We need to follow them!" Another senior Red Blood Cell said, a boy with Eryth_11.06βπWRS-6491 on his bag strap yelled, and ran off into the Superior Vena Cava with his carbon dioxide. "Come on!" He yelled once more, as we ran at top speed into the Heart, as the blood pressure rose faster than usual. This dosen't seem good. Eryth_11.06γACR-3752 thought. And right then, something jumped out of a capillary at him.
0=0=0
"Ding-dong!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864's receptor said and blinked, as it was mounted on a wristwatch on his left arm, indicating a foreign substance was nearby. 9864 was a male Neutrophil, with blue glasses and a headset. "9800! My receptor is detecting something!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 said into his headset, stationed near the Superior Vena Cava, and silently freaking out. "Locate it, and we'll back you up. I know we've only been outside the Bone Marrow for an hour, but we can't ignore our jobs." She replied through the headset, calming him down. "A-alright. I-I will." Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 replied, and walked into a capillary.
The capillary was big enough for one blood cell to walk through, full of stairs and walkways to the cells living there. Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 pulled out a machete with a shaking hand and passed through the tiny peaceful capillary. At the end, at the Superior Vena Cava, something was attacking Red Blood Cells. It was mostly purple with tentacles coming out of its back and head, and clawed three-fingered hands with tentacles coming out of them.
"Hand over the nutrients or die!" It said, and then noticing the Red Blood Cells carrying nutrients and carbon dioxide were running away, attacked them. "Time to die little Red Blood Cells! You chose to face the wrath of the Pneumococcus!" It yelled, stating it was a Streptococcus Pneumoniae, a Pneumococcus and attacked a Red Blood Cell with Eryth_11.06γαAC-3752 plastered onto his bag strap. "Guys! It's a Pneumococcus in Superior Vena Cava Sector 5! It's attacking!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9863 said bravely into the microphone, and clutched his machete close to his chest. "Roger!" Other Neutrophils replied through the microphone.
"Backup has arrived!" Someone said, she was standing sideways on a cell complex. She had blue eyes and long white hair, she wore a Neutrophil jacket and had the number Gran_11.06αηKL-5802.0001 put on. "You filthy germ!" She yelled and jumped down from her sideways-standing position on the cell complex. "H-how did you do that?!" Gran_11.06αηUE-9864 said in astonishment to the mature Neutrophil. "It's called L-Selection. It helps us cling onto blood vessel walls." She replied in a teaching voice, and looked over at the Pneumococcus. "As for you…" Gran_11.06αηKL-5802.0001 said in a fierce voice. "You'll die!" She yelled and jumped over many Blood Cells to the germ.
Gran_11.06αηΚL-5802.0001 ran up at it, and pulled out her machete. She jumped over it and did a backflip, slicing the germ's head off. The germ's head sprayed out crimson cytoplasm onto the surrounding cells. "There. Dead." Gran_11.06αηΚL-5802.0001 said to the Pneumococcus' corpse. "This is Gran_11.06αηΚL-5802.0001 reporting. The germ in Sector 5 of the Superior Vena Cava has been eliminated. You can continue fighting the other invaders." She said into her headset. "Wait. What do you mean 'other invaders'?!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 asked the other Neutrophil. "Due to the stress, germs have multiplied. And because of the less sanitary conditions of Mexico, the bacterial invasions have become more frequent. This is why this Body, or should I say, he, is on a Left Shift." She replied and started eating the Pneumococcus.
"I-I" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 said, and gulped. "Going to help them." And ran off into the Blood Vessel. "H-hey! Um… thank you for calling the other Immune Cells!" A Red Blood Cell with the number Eryth_11.06γαACR-3752 on his bag strap. "I was… just doing my job! Uh… see you later! My number is 11.06αηUΕ-9864! Gotta go!" He said to the Red Blood Cell and ran off. "M-mine is 11.06γαΑCR-3752!" He yelled back.
Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 ran over to the Left Carotid Artery, located in the Neck. "ATTENTION ALL BLOOD CELLS! THIS AREA IS INFECTED WITH THE BACTERIA STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES!" The nearby Alarm blared. "Alright. Time to fight." Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 said, and ran into the infected area.
The area was partially inflamed, with small flames licking the Artery wall. Behind him two mature girl Neutrophils jumped over him, screaming "GIRL POWER!" at the top of their lungs and killing the germs. The Streptococcus Pyogenes bacteria looked similar to the Pneumococcus, but instead of three claws and purple coloring these bacteria had only one long sharp claw sticking out of sphere-tentacles with a red coloring. A few Macrophages were also attacking the bacteria, slicing them with long swords and killing most of them. The other White Blood Cells were the Granulocyte Squads released from the Left Shift.
Macrophage
Macrophages are a type of White Blood Cell that live in the tissue. They form from Monocytes that enter the tissue. Macrophages work as the Body's cleaners, hence the maid uniform. They also raise Erythroblasts in the Bone Marrow. When Macrophages attack, their power and speed is quite high.
"Target sighted!" Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864 yelled, and summoned his courage. He charged the bacteria forcefully, killing his first bacterium. "I-I did it! I can do this!" He said, as his confidence grew.
He charged once again and diced up a bacterium.
"You'll all die, you wretched White Blood Cells!" Yelled a Streptococcus Pyogenes, and dropped two of the circular parts of his tentacles on the ground. The spheres started to bubble as something inside grew, turning into another bacterium. "They're dividing! We need to stop them here and now!" Yelled a mature Neutrophil.
He and the other Immune Cells were able to ward off the infection before it could spread with their hard work.
The Body was safe, for now.
0=0=0
"Karaoke time!" An immature White Blood Cell yelled, signaling the karaoke celebration for all the Squads' victory. "Alright, first song…. Woodstock-Chella-Palooza! Nerves are ready with the Memory!" A speaker said, as microphones were being passed out to all 8652 contestants, including Gran_11.06αηUΕ-9864. "Voices at the ready! Sing!" The speaker said, causing the Nerves to play the Memory, and the karaoke contest to start.
"Grab your guitar"
"A piano too"
"Clap your hands, stomp your shoe!"
"Make up a song and you just can't loose-a! At Woodstock-Chella-Palooza!"
"Woodstock! Hey! Challa-Palooza! Come on Come on!"
"Woodstock! Hey! Challa-Palooza! Come on Come on!"
"Sign about nature, sing about the sky!"
"Sign about the trees, or the mountain high!"
"You'll be inspired when you see the news-a, at Woodstock-Challa-Palooza!"
"Woodstock! Hey! Challa-Palooza! Come on Come on!"
"Woodstock! Hey! Challa-Palooza! Come on Come on!"
"Sing about animals!"
"Sign about plants!"
"Sing about elephants!"
"Sing about ants!"
"Sing about whatever you chose-a, at Woodstock-Challa-Palooza!"
"Woodstock! Hey! Challa-Palooza! Come on Come on!"
"Woodstock! Hey! Challa-Palooza! Come on Come on!"
"Woodstock! Challa-Palooza! Yeah!"
"Woo-woo!" The White Blood Cells cheered, and sung their Endoplasmic reticulums out.
Notes
Next Chapter
Next chapter, 1.01-Skin Infection: The Body's epidermis on the Left Arm gets invaded by a new strain of Staphylococcus Aureus, and the bacteria proliferate! Join your favorite cells as they struggle to survive and get rid of a Skin Infection!
Notes
Thanks for reading my fanfiction! I'm currently trying to translate my story into Latin American Spanish in Neutrophils at Work! Español.
The copies of the Granulocytes divided when they were Myeloblasts, when they could still divide.