Trapping Cells
Insects and pests can be a huge problem for farmers and their crops. One technique farmers use to deal with them is by planting a separate group of crops, called trap crops. These trap crops are not harvested and are mainly used to attract insects and other pests. By doing this, farmers will know which group of crops needs to sprayed with pesticides. Now some scientists are applying this technique to eliminate viruses.
Viruses cannot reproduce by themselves. Instead, they reproduce by attaching onto another cell and releasing their own genetic material into the infected cell. They infected cell will then start producing new copies of the virus. Eventually, the new copies will break open the cell and begin infecting other cells.
According to this study, scientists have used trap cells to slow and sometimes eliminate the growth of viruses within a system. These cells are created with special properties that make it so that they cannot be used by viruses to reproduce. For example, some of the trap cells contains no binding sites for the virus, making it resistant to infection. This makes it difficult for a virus to find a normal cell to infect, slowing down the rate at which the virus can replicate. In the experiment, researchers tested the trap cells against bacteriophage. They discovered that if half of the cells in the system were trap cells, then the bactriophage will eventually go extinct.
Paul Turner, PhD believes that in the future, the trap cells can be used to combat viruses like HIV. HIV is able to recognize T-cells because of the CD4 molecule on its surface. Turner says that a new way to fight HIV could be to create red blood cells that have the CD4 molecule. HIV will now target the red blood cell because of the CD4, but since the red blood cells have no nucleus, HIV will not be able to use it to reproduce.
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posted by PWH @ 5:32 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Hi there, interesting post. I like your comparison to trap crops, it makes the concept of trap cells easier to understand. A question I have about the trap cells is how are they made? Also, how would you implant them in a host? Would there be a possibility of rejection from the host? In any case, this sounds like a viable option in the future, if it works, for dealing with HIV and other viruses.
I really liked how you began with a large-scale example of using traps. It really helps the reader understand more clearly how a trap functions.
I wonder if the trap cells have no binding site for the virus making it resistant to infection, how exactly does this make it difficult for a virus to find a normal cell to infect? Why wouldn't the virus cell just ignore the trap cells and infect the healthy, normal ones around it instead?
It's really interesting that by creating red blood cells with a CD4 molecule, the reproduction of HIV may be stopped. I'm curious whether this will be a future treatment and/or prevention of HIV spreading.
Overall, I thought it was well-organized and a truly interesting topic.
The supporting information at the start of your blog is very intersting, and helps the reader comprehend the following information. I think the idea of having "fake cells" to protect real cells is a very interesting idea. However, have they been successful with HIV testing? You mentioned they planned on testing, but never explored the idea further. I would be interested in if those test were successful or not.
sniezek6
The information that you are presenting is very interesting and sounds like it could very well be a possible solution to viral infections such as HIV. However I was confused about one part in your essay. I understand the part where you say that the trap cells have no viral binding sites enabling he virus from sending its RNA in. However it is unclear in how this will make it difficult for the virus to find a normal cell to infect. There are normal cells all around. Couldn't the virus just bind to one of those instead?
The introduction to this post was very well done. The comparison of field crops to the human body really helps the reader to understand this up and coming science. Another useful part of this article is the explanation on viruses, for this is clearly important in realizing the potentials that trapping cells could reach. However, the section on possible HIV usage was too brief. For such a monumental possibility, there was not enough explanation or background. Another thing that was missing is the down sides of this technique. Is testing difficult to do? Is it considered unethical? In general, the opposing side to this new science needs to be addressed. Overall the post was brief yet concise, giving the reader a knowledge of something that could possibly better mankind and drastically alter the world.
mazzawi6
I thought that you did a good job explaining what trap cells were. However, I would be interested in hearing more about where trap cells come from and how are they made. In addidition to the positive results from the rat experiment were there any negatives? What happens to the virus after it is blocked by the cell? Overall, I think your blog was interesting topic and easy to follow.
priskb5
ID:21409001
This post was intriguing because I've heard claims of finding cures to diseases that seem uncurable without logical evidence to back it up. This one however sounds like there is some hope for the future. But what if this process takes so long that the trap cells die off before the virus dies? Do you know the life span of the trap cells or would this not even matter because doctors would just keep on resupplying the body until the virus went away? Also, if it's possible to create cells lacking binding sites outside the body before they implant them, is it possible for them to use this technique internally to make every cell similar to a trap cell? Or would this inhibit reproduction of healthy cells? Good job!
~maillet5
This is very interesting, before reading this blog I had never heard of using trap cells to get rid of viruses. In the blog it was mentioned that if half of the cells in a system had trap cells than bactriophage would eventually go extinct, but how long would it actually take for a system to have half of its cells be trap cells? Also have there been any results published on trap cells effects on HIV?
The idea of using trap cells to eventually cure diseases is revoltutionary. However, I think the idea of trap crops is very wasteful. But that's another story for another day. I really like the thought of using trap cells to "trick" viruses, as one of the links says. The scientific advancements being made are incredible. I'd like to know if there is any more information on therapy involving other diseases. Is it only AIDS being looked at? What about cancer? Also, what are the risks and/or side effects of performing these procedures?
jess
Very interesting post. I didn't know about the use of trap crops before. It sounds like a good idea that they would start using a technique like this for biological purposes. If this technique actually works, it could be a huge breakthrough in the treatment of HIV.
hey, this idea of trap crops is a very amazing discovery that had never entered my imagination before. that was a good example to use the crops to make the cell part easier to understand. this is a good way to fight viruses because it is not controversial like say stem cells or anything. is this an area of study that you would be interested in pursuing in maybe grad-school?
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