ImmunoBoost conclusion

Prof. Jones: ‘Congratulations, everyone! You’ve successfully identified which images come from SEM and which come from TEM. That tells me you’re comfortable distinguishing surface details in a scanning electron micrograph from the internal structures seen in transmission electron micrographs.’

Michael: ‘It’s really striking how different the two types of images can appear. So, are we finally ready to look at the ImmunoBoost-treated tumor sections now?’

Prof. Jones: ‘Yes, we are, and I’m thrilled to show you what we’ve found so far! We’ll be focusing on thin sections that reveal T cells interacting with tumor cells. So far, some of the preliminary data from the TEM images suggest that T cells in treated samples appear more robust, with intact granules and closer contact to tumor cells.’

[You and the other students look through the microscope and see this image]

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a T lymphocyte (T cell) attacking a cancer cell using granules. The T cell has multiple extensions. The cancer cell is larger and has a rough, pitted surface. There are also smaller, round cells in the background. (Generated by Freepik)

You: ‘That’s amazing! Does that mean the drug is working the way we thought it would?’

Prof. Jones: ‘It’s definitely an encouraging sign. We’re also spotting possible disruptions in the tumor cell membranes, which might indicate that the T cells are mounting a stronger attack. Of course, these findings are still early, so we’ll need to compare them with our other assays—like flow cytometry and cytokine measurements—to get the full story. But what you’re seeing in these electron micrographs could be a visual clue that ImmunoBoost is helping T cells do their job.’

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