EPISODE 6: ERYTHROBLASTS AND MYELOCYTES
"Erythroblasts and Myelocytes."
Inside the human body,
roughly 37.2 trillion cells work energetically,
DENDRITE
24 hours and 365 days.
They are all working very hard.
This is the inside of a human body.
I've lost my way again!
The inside of the body is too complicated!
RED BLOOD CELLS: They carry oxygen and carbon dioxide using blood circulation.
FRAGILE CONDENSED GAS
Huh? Where am I now?
Huh? By any chance, could this be?
It's the Red Bone Marrow!
RED BONE MARROW
Red Bone Marrow.
This is the blood cells' homeland.
Valedictorian, please step forward!
Yes, ma'am!
Congratulations on graduating.
ENUCLEATION: When an Erythroblast releases its core and becomes a Red Blood Cell.
You're a full-fledged Red Blood Cell now, starting today.
Thank you very much.
That brings back memories!
It's Enucleation Day.
This is where the blood cells are born and reside until they've grown up.
This is where I...
Years ago...
PRECURSOR CELLS: Cells before they're differentiated from Stem Cells into certain other cells.
Confirming the birth of a Precursor Cell!
This child...
We can make her a Red Blood Cell, right? She's a redhead.
HEMOPOIETIC STEM CELLS: Cells that produce blood cells such as Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelets, etc.
Sounds good to me.
Do we have enough Eosinophils?
We just need two more. Let me know if you see any good ones!
NEUTROPHILS
It is here that the blood cells are produced by Hemopoietic Stem Cells,
and sorted by category.
Red Blood Cells come into this world as Precursor Cells,
mature into cells called "Erythroblasts,"
and are nurtured by Macrophages inside this Red Bone Marrow.
ERYTHROBLASTS: Cells that are still being differentiated before they become Red Blood Cells. They exist inside the bone marrow.
Erythroblasts.
Cells that are still being differentiated before they become Red Blood Cells.
They exist inside the bone marrow.
All right, children, are we all here now?
Yes!
I'm the Macrophage in charge of this class.
I'll be looking after you until you become full-fledged Red Blood Cells, all right?
MACROPHAGE: Inside the bone marrow, Erythroblasts cluster around the Macrophages, which play a crucial role in their differentiation and maturation.
Let's all do our best to become exemplary Red Blood Cells!
Okay!
BLOOD CIRCULATION IS FUN
Let's get this down pat!
Okay.
Now then, I wonder if you can do a good job delivering!
START
Yes!
Let's deliver this oxygen!
On your marks, get set, go!
All right! I'm gonna do this, too!
All right, children, good luck!
Huh? It's a dead end!
This way?
No, is it that way? But...
This way?
It's neither this way nor that way!
What the... What the... What the...
Teacher! That girl got so lost she's dizzy.
Oh my...
There, there. No need to cry. You'll be fine.
You'll stop getting lost before you know it. You don't have to panic, all right?
Okay.
The blood vessel isn't always a peaceful place.
Extremely scary bacteria pop up from time to time!
And so today, we're going to practice running away from bacteria!
When bacteria appears, hurry to a nearby corner and hide!
Okay!
I've asked Neutrophil to play the role of the bacterium today.
WHITE BLOOD CELL
WHITE BLOOD CELLS (NEUTROPHILS): Their main task is to eliminate foreign substances from outside, such as bacteria and viruses.
Nice to meet you!
I bet this girl's gonna lose her way and get eaten up!
Don't say that!
Hey, hey.
Listen up when your teacher's talking!
Okay.
T-Teacher!
What if I end up getting lost?
Don't worry.
You're all still children,
so you won't be able to leave the bone marrow.
If you're here inside the bone marrow, we can find you for sure!
Until they mature and undergo enucleation, Erythroblasts reside in the bone marrow.
Please don't let me get lost!
If you're scared, wanna run away together?
O-Oh! Thanks!
All right, let's go!
Okay, start!
Oh, is it okay for me to get started?
If you please.
Hey! Look who's here! It's King Bacterium himself!
Any Red Blood Cells around?
I wonder if you all managed to hide yourselves well.
Any Red Blood Cells around?
Try not to get captured by that scary bacterium!
Wait, where's that child?
Somebody help me!
Huh? Where am I now?
I've lost my way again!
That bacterium is scary, and I'm lost.
There's no way I can ever become a Red Blood Cell!
Sorry to keep you waiting for your oxygen!
Thank you as always!
Not at all! Now if you'll excuse me!
I need one over here!
Roger that!
- One for me, too! - Right!
They're all so business-like.
So cool!
I wonder if these people are Red Blood Cells.
Will I turn out like them someday, maybe?
What's this?
Hey you, what are you doing here?
Teacher! You see, just now—
You're alone, huh?
How convenient for me!
You're an Erythroblast, aren't you? A Red Blood Cell in the making.
Th-That's you in disguise, right, Teacher?
This is an evacuation drill, right?
Teacher, huh? Well, it's not really such a stretch for me to be called that!
After all, I'm overwhelmingly above you in status!
Even still,
you've got one thing wrong.
I'm a genuine Pseudomonas!
PSEUDOMONAS: One of the most common types of persistent bacteria existing in natural environments. Can cause pseudomonas infections.
Ms. Macrophage!
Where do you think you're going?
BLOOD VESSEL
The door won't open! But why?
Erythroblasts cannot leave the bone marrow.
But why?
I don't have time for rules like that!
A bacterium like me, who can survive without stealing nutrients or oxygen...
Why do you think I made a point of coming inside this body?
Because you see...
I just adore tormenting helpless blood cells, that's why!
PSEUDOMONAS: Can divide and proliferate like crazy even without nutrients. Once it enters a live body, it destroys blood cells and the cell system with a vengeance.
I can't take this anymore!
Now then, now then,
shall I finish you off now?
I do feel sorry for you. After all, you're so young.
And you're going to die before you can become an adult.
Well, but that's your destiny!
Deal with it!
I-I don't want to die!
Not in a place like this!
M-My eyes!
I mean, there's a chance that I could turn out like those cool Red Blood Cells, too!
You wretched little brat!
Playtime is over!
Die!
Hold up!
You darned germ!
Don't think you can lay a finger on a blood cell in this body, and live to tell the tale!
MYELOCYTE: Cells in the process of being differentiated, before they become White Blood Cells (Neutrophils, Eosinophils or Basophils). They reside in the bone marrow.
Target sighted!
Who are you?
I don't need to tell a germ my name!
Oh? Are you by any chance a Myelocyte?
A White Blood Cell in the making?
You think you're going to kill me?
That's right! I'm gonna take you out!
I'm so scared! I'm so scared!
Take that, you darned germ!
My weapon!
All so lively, aren't you?
You little brats inside this body!
Give it back! Give it back!
What impressive blood cells you're sure to become one day!
You darned germ!
That is, if you manage to stay alive that long!
Big Brother!
This is such a blast!
Destroying little squirts' dreams, smashing their pride to smithereens...
No wonder I can't stop tormenting the weak!
Please don't die, Big Brother!
I don't dislike kids with courage!
If you hand over that Erythroblast,
I'll spare just your life!
What's it gonna be, little boy?
Don't give me that.
You really think I'd do something like that?
Even if we, White Blood Cells, have to sacrifice our own lives,
always protect other cells!
I'm gonna be a great White Blood Cell!
All right, that's the spirit! Myelocyte!
You're safe now, okay, you two?
Thank goodness! We were so worried!
Oh my.
All right, let's take care of those wounds right away.
Okay.
Neutrophil Teacher, thank you very much for your help!
Big Brother!
Thank you so much for rescuing me!
Will I see you again?
I don't know.
I don't know, but...
But...
when we grow up and start working inside the blood vessels,
maybe we'll see each other somewhere.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye!
Ever since I started working, I've been so busy that I forgot.
But that did happen, didn't it?
Okay! I'm gonna deliver this oxygen pronto!
TEA
I'm sorry! Please forgive me!
Are you all right?
No, I'm the one who should be sorry.
White Blood Cell?
Is that you?
We sure run into each other a lot.
Th-This is fresh tea!
You're lost again?
Yeah.
It's all right. I'll go with you.
Since I'm free right now.
Thank you so much!
White Blood Cell, huh?
That boy back then... I wonder if he's an able White Blood Cell now?
It happened so long ago, I don't really remember his face.
Could it be?
What is it?
Oh no!
No, but really, that would be too much of a coincidence, right?
Cells...
...at Work!
Thank you so much for showing me the way!
Sure. See you.
It's been so peaceful lately!
We've had zero incidents.
This tea is good.
I only wish this could last.
Some kind of weird cell is on the attack!
S-Somebody help me!
CELL
Who the hell is this?
That's some unusual prey!
I haven't seen you eliminate a cell in forever, Neutrophil!
KILLER T CELLS (CYTOTOXIC T CELLS): Mobilize under orders from the Helper T Cells. They kill virus-infected cells, Cancer Cells and the like.
Is that you, Killer T?
I know you looked out for Naive the other day.
Too bad for him.
Did he get infected with a virus, maybe?
That's what I thought.
Hard to stomach, isn't it?
Incidents involving your own friends.
Now then,
I'm gonna take this corpse into custody, all right?
Excuse me.
Dealing with cell-related trouble... That's our job!
Your main job is to kill bacteria, right?
It's not like we don't take care of cell-related trouble, too.
Excuse me!
Hey, what's the problem?
I mean, I'm bored since no jobs have been coming in!
You're...
NK Cell!
NK CELL (NATURAL KILLER CELL): They patrol the entire body, attacking as soon as they spot Cancer Cells or viruses.
NK Cell.
They patrol the entire body,
attacking as soon as they spot
Cancer Cells or viruses.
Hey, my bad. I couldn't find a suitable cushion.
Damn you! What do you want?
I knew it.
This guy's no ordinary virus.
He's the type who proliferates at warp speed.
I'm pretty sure his friends are still around, so...
Maybe I'll ask that cell there to show me the way?
Hey you,
it's not just this one virus, right?
Um, that's correct.
There are still some in my area!
What? In the cell system?
Y-You should've spoken up sooner!
Well, that's what I've been trying to tell you all this time.
You damn idiot! Show us the way now!
Hold up a second!
As it happens, I've been extremely idle.
Sorry, but I'm going to take this job!
What?
One more thing...
I don't want you guys to come along.
The last thing I need is to have you underfoot.
So I'll be going off alone!
Wh-Why, you, who do you think you—
Oops, my hand slipped.
Sorry!
I'm powerful, so I'll be fine.
Hey, Killer T. You all right?
And then, you see...
A bucket? Sure!
Oops, my bad. My hand slipped.
We wouldn't want you to catch a cold, so you go on home, young lady, and sit tight!
Oops! My hand slipped again!
Sorry! My foot slipped!
I apologize! My elbow slipped!
That's too much slipping! You going senile or what?
Who are you to talk?
I'm gonna kill you!
Huh! I'd like to see you try it!
They're allies, but they're killing each other!
Just what you'd expect of immunity cells.
Th-They sure don't get along.
Yeah, they probably don't.
Maybe we should just leave them behind.
By the way, Cell...
About showing us the way...
You don't have to come the whole way, okay?
The cells I'm going off to kill might have been your friends or neighbors.
You wouldn't want to see that, do you?
No, hey, I'll be fine!
I'll take you all the way.
Since it's for the sake of this world.
And besides, remember? You just saved my life.
Thank you very much.
That was the first time I'd ever been rescued.
Don't worry! I totally understand.
That this is something we can't do anything about.
That for the sake of world peace, sometimes your friends can get killed.
And also the fact that that's your job.
Is that right? I appreciate that.
Anyway, who knew there were immunity cells who were sensitive to that?
W-Well, maybe.
Not that I can broadcast it in front of Killer T.
I win!
I haven't lost yet!
CELL SYSTEM
I thought that cells were living here...
There's no sign of them.
That virus's friends are probably laying low.
Come on!
It's deserted.
This is serious.
For now, let's report to HQ, and then we'll patrol the area together.
Together? No way in hell is that happening!
Then it'll be two against two!
And I'm taking our guide with me!
Sure, be my guest!
It would be so uncool if the Lone Wolf got herself lost, huh?
H-Hey, no fighting!
I'm not fighting! This is a rejection reaction!
No way can I focus on my work if I'm teamed up with someone like that!
Oh thank goodness!
Now I'm freed from babysitting the moron!
Hey!
Don't let your personal feelings get in the way!
Come back here!
It'll get worse if we go along with her!
I'm talking about compatibility! Compatibility!
You don't know when to shut up, do you?
Now, then...
We should get started, too, right?
Since that pain in the neck is out of the way,
I'll be glad to take you on, that's what I'm saying.
Although if what you want is to die as someone else, feel free to stand pat.
Show me who you really are!
So, I'm busted, huh?
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
I'm getting a bad vibe.
Come on, let me enjoy myself a little longer!
This is no viral infection!
You ripped me off!
What happened to that cell kid?
There's something strange going on!
All three of you are here, I see.
EPISODE 7: CANCER CELL