THE MAKING OF AN ANTIBODY SCRIPT

Written by

Dayle Sanders

Sunday 7th May 2011

SCENE 1 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

MUSIC TRACK PLAYED THROUGHOUT: N/A AT THIS TIME

FADE IN ON SCENE. FADE IN to the sound of current and passing cells. Camera will rush through the
blood vessel. Audience will see the pulmonary circulation containing oxygenated blood cells.
Passing blood cells will flow in the current and bounce lightly off of the vessel's elastic wall.
Opening credits will play out and on screen text will blend in with the animation throughout.

TEXT
"Making of an Antibody"
TEXT IS WASHED AWAY by current* (if washing effect is possible).

PAUSE. Continued activity of the vessel.

TEXT
"The immune system first must be "trained" to recognise self from non-self for the
most effective response to aggression or invasion."
FADE OUT TEXT.

CROSSFADE TO NEXT SCENE.

SCENE 2 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

TEXT
"A key feature of the immune system is the ability to distinguish between
endogenous and exogenous structures (cells inside and outside the body) that are
not dangerous."
FADE OUT TEXT.

Animation sequence running with text: Continued cut of Blood vessel. One blood cell passes
quickly. FADE IN on a loud sound effect of a passing blood cell. CROSSFADE TO NEXT SCENE.

TEXT
"The immune system allows our body to defend itself against pathogens, which are
either bacteria or viruses. It also eliminates abnormal cells that appear
periodically in the body."
FADE OUT TEXT.

SCENE 3 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

CUT TO:
TEXT

"The humoral response is the production of antibodies. An antibody is a

soluble protein (called immunoglobulin) that specifically recognises a pathogen."
FADE OUT TEXT.

ZOOM IN on a b-lymphocyte (white blood cell (comes from bone marrow)). Bone marrow is the organ
that produces most of immunoglobulin. The b-lymphocyte contains many proteins on its surface:
Membrane bound antibodies/immunoglobulins. These look a lot look like underwater anemones and
genus', or even, small wriggly caterpillars.

FADE IN NEW TEXT:

TEXT
"There are two types of antibody variations: from one b-cell to another b-cell can
take on a bunch of different forms. The first type is located on the surface of b-
cells. These are proteins called membrane bound antibodies."
FADE OUT TEXT.

SCENE 4 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

One b-lymphocyte is moving gracefully and the camera is following it.

FADE IN NEW TEXT:

TEXT
"Each immunoglobulin contains different variable portions."
FADE OUT TEXT.

SCENE 5 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

ZOOMFADE INTO SCENE. Audience see the DNA inside of the b-lymphocyte nucleus.

CUT TO:
TEXT
"There is a lot of intentional reshuffling that occurs within b-cell DNA, which
allows the bodies immune system to diversify itself.
FADE OUT TEXT.
 TEXT
"There are over 10 million variable portion combinations in the human body."
FADE OUT TEXT.

TEXT
"This means that the arrival of a pathogen will only be compatible with a
particular surface bound antibody and one of it's variable portions. On each
surface bound antibody, there are two binding sites at the end of each tip of the
"Y" between the variable regions of the light and heavy chains. The pathogen's
epitopes will have to find a suitable bonding between itself and one of the two
antibodies variable portions."
FADE OUT TEXT.

Animation sequence running with text: This combination is known as "surface binding"/"Trial and
error"/"Self" responding combination. When the binding finally occurs, the B lymphocyte is
"activated". Triggered binding will begin.

TEXT
"Useful for when a pathogen invades our body. When it attempts to connect to one
of membrane bound antibodies, it locks onto one of them with its epitope. However,
it will take some time for it to find a suitable binding."
FADE OUT TEXT.

SCENE 6 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

CUT TO:
TEXT
"The pathogen will eventually find it's suitable binding site, locking itself into
the surface antibody."
FADE OUT TEXT.

FADE IN on a new animation layer (on top of main animation). Layer contains a basic diagram of a
key and a lock. The key is then inserted into the lock. Audience HEAR sound effect of locking.
Diagram fades.

The B lymphocyte begins to multiply slowly into two different types of cells:

• Memory cells: Higher quality defences are produced, containing the same variable portions
on them as the initial b-cell in question (these will look butterfly-esque to signify the
journey of growth (beauty of the process and strength of the cell (of course they won't
actually look like butterflies but the cells themselves will contain a luminous wing like
shape)
• Effecter cells: Reproductive and "active" cells: Known also as "Plasma cells" (commonly)
and "Antibody factories"

Important note: The generated antibodies (antibody offspring from plasma cell factories) will
take appearance of butterflies, but this is all metaphorical. Based on the evolution process of
the surface bound "caterpillar" antibodies becoming memory cell "butterfly" antibodies. For
example, the wings of the butterfly, and its antenna "Y" variable portions, will come across as
bioluminescent attachments. This is more a less an aesthetic-ONLY feature, to help aid what the
audience should be understanding, and justify why they should be enjoying the visual experience.

SCENE 7 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

CUT TO:
TEXT
"When binding occurs, the b-cells spurs into rapid reproduction. Some b-cells
become memory cells, ready to respond to a later invasion by the same pathogen.
But most become antibody producing factories called plasma cells. Only b-cells
make antibodies after differentiating into these plasma cells."
FADE OUT TEXT.

CHANGE TO SCENE. The pathogens will continue to infect the immune system, but the antibodies will
be going to continuously reproduce. They remember the pathogenic interaction. They then flow
around the vein to chase after similar remaining pathogens. They do this to maintain a systematic
arrangement for a better, overall immune protection.

SCENE 8 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

Animation sequence running with text: The memory cell antibodies approach the nearest pathogen
and attempt to bind. This allows them to activate. They begin to glow. However binding is a lot
more easier for these cells because they contain the pathogenic data. They seek out pathogenic
traces such as the precise epitope(s).

CUT TO:
TEXT
"Although antibodies cannot destroy the pathogens, they simply clump the
pathogens together. They dock the pathogen. This is called opsonisation.
 These antibodies can also, but all means, "cripple" the pathogens so they are
unable to cause further damage to the cells within location."
FADE OUT TEXT.

The newborn antibodies (detached and floating in the fluid (the second type of antibody which is
not surface bound)) will begin the tagging process once they locate the remaining fragments of
the pathogen: This process is called "opsonisation".

SCENE 9 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

CUT TO:
TEXT
"White blood cells called macrophages, are antigen-presenting cells (APCs). They
leave the bodies cell mediated immune response by engulfing and digesting the
pathogens. A signal is sent out by the memory cells who have clumped the
pathogens. This neutralises the pathogens, or marks them up for destruction by our
immune arsenal. The nearest macrophage will respond to this signal."
FADE OUT TEXT.
TEXT
"When it arrives on scene it will prepare itself for phagocytosis. The macrophage
will release oxidants and bleach to kill and eat the pathogen. After engulfing
both memory and pathogen cells, the pathogen is interrogated."
FADE OUT TEXT.

Animation sequence running with text: The opsonisation is going to unique, obvious to the
audience that something is happening. This unique immune signal alerts one of the many
macrophages. When one is alerted, it promptly arrives on the scene to disable the pathogen:
The macrophage on scene will prepare itself for phagocytosis. This interaction involves engulfing
the memory cells and the pathogens, imprisoning the pathogen for "interrogation". CROSSFADE TO
NEXT SCENE.

SCENE 10 - INT. IMMUNE SYSTEM

TEXT
"Combining peptide fragments from the invaders with some of its own proteins, the
macrophage builds a patchwork of pathogen complexes on its surface. The macrophage
will present a piece of that consumed antibody on an MHC Class-2 molecule. This
molecule will be sent a to a T-helper (CD-4) cell to activate more macrophages and
also B-cell maturation and proliferation for antibody production."

TEXT
"The immune system must maintain the memory of the pathogen recognition structures
so it can effectively respond to the same attack, which could recur in the
future."
FADE OUT TEXT.

ZOOMFADE INTO SCENE. Animation sequence running with text: The "belly" of the macrophage is
extracting desired information: The macrophage wants to find out as much as possible about the
invading pathogen. The macrophage will present a piece of that consumed antibody on an "MHC II"
molecule. The MHC II molecule moves towards the surface of the macrophage. The specificity of
this cell is shown by its features: It is a different colour and it will glow slightly to show
the audience that it is essentially a rich cell full of information for the body to process. FADE
OUT.

END.