Part 34 (1/2)

She froze. It was that sensation.

Asakura felt just a little anxious.

There was still one thing she could not explain. Why had Kiyomi's mitochondria rebelled? Why not Asakura's, or Tos.h.i.+aki's? Why Kiyomi?

Was it simply a question of polymorphism? Everyone carried slightly different genes.

Had Kiyomi's simply been different in such a way as to allow mitochondrial hyperactivity?

If that were so, what Asakura was about to do did not guarantee that mitochondria would never rise again. As long as people could be born with genetic mutations like Kiyomi's, there was a possibility that mitochondria could evolve in them. If that was so, was it not useless to hinder their evolution?

Asakura had no answers. Maybe so, maybe not.

All she could do with any a.s.surance was to kill these cells.

”The party is winding down now. They're all asking for you,” said the young man from beyond the door.

Asakura smiled, then switched on the autoclave.

NOTES.

EcoR I and BamH I.

Used in genetic engineering to cut strands of DNA. EcoR I and BamH I specifically digest (or recognize) the DNA motifs GAATTC and GAGCTC.

clean bench.

A workstation enclosed in gla.s.s into which one places only the hands for sterilized handling of materials. Purified air pa.s.ses into the clean bench via a filtering system.

NIH3T3.

An immortal cell line cultured from the epithelial (i.e. fetal) linings of lab mice.

Normal rodent cells do not divide more than ten times in a cultivation environment.

Cancerous cells, on the other hand, divide indefinitely. NIH3T3 cells are known for their ability to propagate like cancerous cells while exhibiting traits of their healthy counterparts.

Their name pays homage to the American National Inst.i.tutes of Health (NIH), where they were first isolated.

retinoid receptor.

Proteins that bind to a chemical compound (retinoid) similar to Vitamin A. B-oxidation enzymes A series, or chain, of enzymes that draws out energy by decomposing fatty acids. This response can be observed, for example, in respiratory activity, in which B-oxidation enzymes utilize oxygen to consume fatty acids. B-oxidation enzymes exist in mitochondria and even in peroxisomes (one of four organelles in a cell).

hybridoma Cells used to artificially fuse cancer cells and lymphocytes. They are particularly useful for cellular research, as they preserve the nature of lymph cells while multiplying indefinitely.

red indicator solution Putting color into cultivation liquid is standard practice to determine its acidity or alkaline level (pH).Yellow=Acidic, Red=Neutral, and Purple=Alkaline. The condition of the cells is clearly elucidated from its color.

primary culture A process by which cells are extracted from internal organs (human or rodent) and then cultivated. When pre-gathered cells such as NIH3T3 are cultivated, the initial stages are not technically deemed a primary culture.

cancer gene production Whenever toxins such like radiation or carcinogens give rise to genetic mutations, cell division is affected, ultimately causing cancer. There are currently over 100 types of cancerous genes known, with new mutations always being discovered.

immuno-suppressants These drugs suppress the body's natural refusal of foreign matter (in this case, a donated organ). At the same time, however, this makes a recipient more easily p.r.o.ne to bacterial infection, which can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

HEPES buffer solution A reagent used to prevent changes in a given solution's pH level. HEPES is virtually nontoxic and is ideal for maintaining a chemically neutral environment.

collagenase Any group of proteolytic enzymes that decomposes collagen and gelatin (i.e. cellular proteins), centrifuge A machine by which diluted cells are collected through the use of centrifugal force.

Fifty G's is the usual amount of force applied by the machine, which spins at 700 rpm, creating an artificial gravity 50 times that of the earth's surface. In this context, being gentle means to separate the cells carefully without damaging them.

Eppendorf tubes Plastic receptacles that can hold up to 2 ml. Their resilience makes them ideal for use in centrifuges and are used often in genetic engineering. Costing only pennies each, they can be disposed of freely after use. Though originally a product of its namesake company in Germany, they are now manufactured by various other suppliers.

stirrer A capsule-shaped mixing tool, consisting of a magnet covered in teflon. The stirrer is placed into beaker, into which the solution to be mixed is poured. The beaker is then placed onto a special machine. Another magnet inside the motor spins around, causing the stirrer to spin inside the beaker.

supernatant Clear fluid above sediment or precipitate in a test tube pipettman A device used to extract an exact amount of a given solution anywhere from 0.2 to 1000 micro liters. In genetic engineering, the usual amount used is between 10 and 100 uL.

One uL is equal to one cubic millimeter in volume.

-80 .

Cells can be preserved by freezing them while still alive. This requires a slow cool down in a special preservation liquid, dropping the temperature by one degree per minute. In this way, the cells suffer minimal damage.

Kiyomi's liver cells were glowing Cells treated with collagenase appear as glowing globules when viewed under a phase contrast microscope. Dead or dying cells are opaque and a cell's condition can be judged according to its luminosity. If left for a number of hours, cells aggregate to the bottom of the flask and lose their brightness.

cytosol In addition to the nucleus and mitochondria, cytosol is another important cellular component. Mitochondria are actually stuck to a mesh structure called tubulin, so they are unable to move around freely. In longer cells such as nerve cells, they unite with these ”motor proteins” to achieve movement. Free-swimming mitochondria are thus rare.

Kiyomi The name Kiyomi is comprised of two characters, the first meaning 'holy' and the second 'beauty' . When the first character is used in conjunction with that for 'night', the resulting compound means 'Christmas Eve'.