What's going on? What's all this?
Isn't it obvious?
Due to external trauma,
the blood vessel's outer wall has been destroyed,
causing blood cells to get swept away.
Run!
In other words,
it's an abrasion!
Abrasion?
ABRASION (GRAZE): A wound formed when the skin is scraped. Refers to wounds that are no deeper than the epidermis.
Abrasion.
A wound formed when the skin is scraped.
Refers to wounds that are no deeper than the epidermis.
If we fall from this wound, it'll be the end.
There'll be no getting back to this world.
If we fall, will it be the end?
But that means we're in big trouble! We've got to do something quick!
Quiet!
This wound will be taken care of eventually.
It's just that there's a hassle we have to deal with first.
What I mean is...
They're here!
Get down!
Damn germs!
So this is the inside of a human body, huh?
Just like the rumors, it's an ideal place for us to spawn!
Not bad, wouldn't you say?
STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS: An antigen residing in the skin and pores. It's highly toxic, and if it invades the body through an abrasion, it can cause skin infections, food poisoning, pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis and the like.
Staphylococcus aureus.
An antigen residing in the skin and pores.
It's highly toxic, and if it invades the body through an abrasion,
it can cause skin infections, food poisoning, pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis and the like.
They didn't waste any time, did they?
Now wipe them out!
Roger!
You guys, make a run for it!
R-Right!
White Blood Cell!
You need to move over here to fight! Or else you're going to get sucked in, too!
Don't worry about me!
Just get out of here!
Damn him! How dare he...
Let's drag this bastard out!
Hurry!
Come on, let's go!
BLOOD VESSEL UNDER CONSTRICTION ROAD BLOCKED
What the... The blood vessel's constricting?
Seems like something happened over there!
VASOCONSTRICTION: When a blood vessel is injured, it attempts to slow down the bleeding by constricting.
Vasoconstriction.
When a blood vessel is injured,
BRACHIAL ARTERY
ASCENDING AORTA
ULNAR ARTERY
CAPILLARY
it attempts to slow down the bleeding by constricting.
This is terrible!
A gigantic scrape was just created down there,
and now the wound's teeming with bacteria!
What?
Run!
Did she say bacteria?
Hurry up!
Are you okay?
S-Sorry!
Hurry!
Right!
You guys need to get out of here now, too!
We just hijacked this world!
STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES: Resides in the throat, digestive organs, skin and the like. Though it's quite a common persistent bacteria, it can often lead to a variety of ailments.
Streptococcus pyogenes.
Resides in the throat, digestive organs, skin and the like.
Though it's quite a common persistent bacteria,
it can often lead to a variety of ailments.
All you Red Blood Cells delivering nutrients, line up over there!
PSEUDOMONAS: One of the most common types of persistent bacteria existing in natural environments. Can cause pseudomonas infections.
Pseudomonas.
One of the most common types of persistent bacteria existing in natural environments.
Can cause pseudomonas infections.
If you're not delivering, I'll kill you!
Run!
Oh no! There's a valve!
Open up! Somebody!
VENOUS VALVE: Prevents blood from backing up. Keeps the blood flowing one-way through the vessels.
The venous valve.
Prevents blood from backing up.
Keeps the blood flowing one-way through the vessels.
H-H-H-H-Help us!
Die!
We're all gonna die!
Didn't I tell you?
Anyone who's not delivering nutrients...
will die!
I-It's the White Blood Cells!
Where the hell are the germs?
They're so dead!
Hey, where's the thing called "abrasion"?
I-It's that way!
Is that right? Thanks!
See ya!
So the White Blood Cells came!
Does this mean we're safe now?
Nah, I wouldn't say we're out of the woods just yet!
Remember how many of them came swarming in?
Oh well, guess they've got their work cut out for them.
But really, those White Blood Cells are all a bunch of freaks, don't you think?
Go! Go!
Kill 'em! Kill 'em!
Take that!
Immobilize them!
Roger that!
All right, now this White Blood Cell's toast!
You guys go after the other White Blood Cells!
- Roger! - Roger!
Now that you're surrounded by blade-like thorns, you can't move!
Die!
No way!
That's odd.
They could've escaped by heading even deeper into this body
instead of fighting me here.
No. 1146, do you read me?
Yeah. What's up?
No. 2048 is in a dire situation near you!
Head over there right away!
We'll join you once we take care of these germs!
Something's off!
The germs will be making a desperate charge this way!
You watch your back, too!
Roger that!
Dammit! Ouch, ouch!
What the hell are they planning to do?
Cells at Work!
Stay away!
There's no end to them!
Get out of here now!
My bad! You saved me!
No, it's all good. More importantly...
Well, well, not bad!
But I wonder how long you can hold out.
There are tons more of us on their way in!
Your backup is here!
I owe you—
Dammit, the draft...
No. 4989!
N-No way! No. 4989!
Keep your L-selectin on!
L-SELECTIN: A type of glycoprotein involved in binding white blood cells and vascular endothelial cells.
Oh crap! Behind us!
Your friends are rather flaky, aren't they now?
How I pity you.
Aren't you getting a little tired?
Quite pathetic, you Neutrophils.
All the battling you do to protect other cells day after day...
But when you find yourselves in trouble,
not one of them comes to your rescue.
Did you just call us Neutrophils, not White Blood Cells?
I see you've at least done some homework.
Oh my, of course I have.
After all, I heard the rumors about a certain Pneumococcus perishing
because he didn't case the joint before he invaded!
Wasn't that your kid brother?
Oh, I've done all the research I need.
All about you members of the immune system.
Right down to the fact that you scrubs, known as the Neutrophils,
are the first responders to a bacterial invasion through an abrasion.
As well as the fact that the big guns, the Macrophages and Monocytes,
are always late to the party.
Not to mention that the brigade known as Lymphocytes
never show up until even later.
Do you understand?
In other words,
as long as I take you Neutrophils out here,
I will
have the upper hand!
Here's the deathblow!
Wha... You blocked it? How do you even have the energy?
Oh, I get it now. What a lame strategy.
Wh-What did you say?
Looks like you forgot the blood cell you need to be careful of!
Not a Macrophage or a Monocyte or a Killer T Cell or a B Cell.
Those powerful helpers of ours...
Professionals who can turn the tide just like that...
They're that powerful!
Wh-Who are you talking about?
Thank you for your hard work!
Remember to stay together so no one loses their way!
Right!
No fighting with other kids!
Right!
Remember to use your GP1b so you won't get blasted away!
GP1b: When there's damage to the blood vessel, platelets bind through the von Willebrand Factor, and adhere to the vascular endothelial cell.
Right!
Um...
COAGULATION FACTOR: A substance necessary to coagulate the blood.
Did you all bring your coagulation factors?
Yes, we did!
All right!
Then,
let's go!
Right!
Who are these little squirts?
Back up those Platelets!
Thank you very much!
What do you think you're doing?
Make sure you don't fall!
No problem!
We brought you the fibrin!
FIBRIN: A protein involved in clotting the blood.
Right! Now then, please take out your coagulation factors!
Right!
Attach the fibrin to the coagulation factors like this.
Right!
Finished!
This part, too!
All right, then. Here we go!
Heave-ho!
Miss Staphylococcus, look...
Clot completed!
Ugh!
Blood clotting.
BLOOD CLOTTING: Platelets, activated by a binding protein called the "von Willebrand Factor," aggregate to close a wound. Afterwards, proteins in the blood called "coagulation factors" are activated, ultimately forming a fibrin mesh over the entire platelet plug, and clotting.
Platelets, activated by a binding protein
called the "von Willebrand Factor," aggregate to close a wound.
Afterwards, proteins in the blood called "coagulation factors" are activated,
ultimately forming a fibrin mesh over the entire platelet plug, and clotting.
Now we can finally get rid of them!
Yeah.
The wound's been plugged?
But now we can't summon any more friends!
All right, now that there's no risk of falling, we've got this!
I'll kill you, germ!
Turns out you were the one with the flaky friends.
And you're the only one left now.
Th-Then,
I alone will have to...
Too late for that now!
Thank you for your hard work!
Hey, No. 4989, you survived!
Yeah. That was scary.
Hey, White Blood Cell!
White Blood Cell!
Big Sister, over there!
There you are! White Blood Cell!
Red Blood Cell.
Thank goodness!
I see you made it!
Yeah, this is nothing but a scratch.
Fitting for an abrasion.
N-Never mind that! What about the others?
Are they all okay?
Oh yes! They said they'd all be coming over later,
but I asked to come see you first.
Is that right?
U-Um...
Thank you very much!
Seriously!
No, there's no need to thank me.
We just did our jobs. That's all.
Oh no! No, no!
I came because I just had to thank you!
All you White Blood Cells fought those antigens for us,
and the Platelets closed up the wound.
You protected the peace in this blood vessel,
but we Red Blood Cells were useless. All we did was run away!
So I wanted to at least thank you properly.
Not that there's anything I can do but say thank you.
No, that's not really true.
Red Blood Cell, you've been really helpful today.
In the present continuous tense, that is.
U-Um, actually, White Blood Cell,
for some reason, you haven't moved a muscle since I got here.
Oh, wait! Am I stuck?
I can't move!
Right.
My senpais are being led away by the little Platelets!
See, whenever a hole opens up in a blood vessel,
what happens is that until the outer wall cells are restored,
- Tea please! - It's hot!
the bodies of blood cells like us are used to plug that hole.
My back hurts!
This is called "secondary hemostasis."
Well, never mind that for now!
White Blood Cell, how long do we have to stay like this?
Another three days, I guess.
Hot!
Water please!
Or tea!
When this clot dries, it will become a scab!
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
Macrophage, what is that?
It's a hatchet!
A hatchet?
Next episode of "Cells at Work!", "Influenza"!
EPISODE 3: INFLUENZA
All right.
Let's get to work!