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Chemotaxis
Neutrophils are our body's first line of defense against bacterial infections. After leaving nearby blood vessels, these cells recognize chemicals produced by bacteria in a cut or scratch and migrate "toward the smell". The above neutrophils were placed in a gradient of fMLP (n formyl methionine- leucine- phenylalanine), a peptide chain produced by some bacteria. The cells charge out like a "posse" after the bad guys. You can view chemotaxis in a 560K Movie. A longer, larger, silent version of this clip is available as a download for use in class projects or demonstrations. Chemotaxis is part of the "Immune System Collection".
There are no bacteria in this sequence, but if there were, the white cells would eat them by the process of PHAGOCYTOSIS.
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