Chapter 181 Special Antibodies
Han Xue worked almost non-stop to stuff the experimental records into the file cabinet. When she entered the laboratory, the lights were still on.
Lin Che sat sideways with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The blood collection point on his left arm was covered with a new Band-Aid.
Su Wanqing was flipping through the data table with the newly concluded results, while Lu Zhao curled up in the corner, not saying a word.
On the instrument screen, the curve from the experiment just now has not disappeared.
Han Xue packed up her things, walked to the operating table, and looked down to check the latest blood sample collected from the girl with the child's voice.
She changed a set of slides, dropped the sample onto the slide, and placed it under a high-power microscope.
While adjusting the focus, she flipped through the notes next to her and frowned.
"Come gather here, I have some new discovery." Han Xue lowered her voice, without looking up, holding the pen in her left hand.
She waited for a while until several people gathered around the table. Han Xue adjusted the microscope to the maximum magnification and brought up the image to project it onto the large screen on the laboratory wall.
A string of antibody molecules with a special structure appeared on the screen. Han Xue tapped the mirror and said, "Look, this batch of antibodies is different from the ones separated before."
Lin Che leaned forward, and Su Wanqing picked up the notes. Han Xue described in detail: "I just mixed Lin Che's healing factor with the child-voiced girl's antibodies. The antibodies have a strange property. I tested four sets of data, and in each set, these antibodies can quickly recognize the signal of the healing factor and then partially copy their structure."
Lu Zhao leaned in very close, biting his lips slightly, "Can it memorize and copy molecular structures? Not just a simple neutralization effect?"
Han Xue nodded and switched the focus of the microscope to another field of view: "I didn't notice it at first. There was only a weak resonance reaction. Later, I increased the amount of healing factor, and the antibody activity surged. It's like this thing can 'remember' the healing factor and then simulate some of the effects by itself."
Su Wanqing put the test report in her hand on the table and clicked the page.
“Does this antibody have the ability to store and replicate?”
"It's even stronger than I thought." Han Xue took out the latest experimental log. "More importantly, the inactivation rate of the virus sample treated with the mixed serum of the two reached 78%. This is much higher than all our previous combinations."
Lu Zhao turned his head and stared at her: "The best result before was only 41%. Are you sure the parameters are ok?"
Han Xue played each set of raw data on the wall. "It was the same three times. I even put a separate ratio change in the solution, and the inactivation efficiency did not fluctuate much."
Lin Che asked in a low voice: "After the antibodies and healing factors are mixed, can they be tested on living bodies?"
"In theory, yes, but the problem is that the amount of antibodies we collected is too small."
Han Xue pushed the instrument inwards. "The amount of blood sample is probably only enough for two or three sets of experiments. If we want to mass produce, the antibody reserve is far from enough. Not to mention the larger number of infected people outside the epidemic area."
Su Wanqing frowned, "How much is needed to satisfy further research?"
"This type of antibody is not an ordinary immunoglobulin and is difficult to find in peripheral blood."
Han Xue flipped through the lab manual, stroking the corner of the paper, and said in a slightly slower tone, "Even if we draw blood routinely every day, we can only barely maintain a few small samples. And this is almost meaningless for serum research."
Lu Zhao subconsciously gripped the edge of the table tightly. He asked directly: "Do you want to...collect more deeply?"
Han Xue calmed down and looked directly at Su Wanqing and Lin Che. "I should be honest. I have a way to collect more antibodies - extract some hematopoietic cells from the spinal cord of Tongyin girl. Antibodies are most abundant in bone marrow and neural lymphoid tissue, and only a small amount in peripheral blood."
Lin Che's brows tightened, and his voice became a little cold: "Spinal puncture?"
Han Xue nodded and bit her lip. "Yes. Spinal puncture is dangerous for adults, let alone someone with her physique. If the sample volume is large, we can get enough antibodies in the short term, but her immune system may collapse completely. The risk of infection, bleeding, and even sudden death is extremely high."
The air in the room suddenly seemed to freeze. Su Wanqing stared at Han Xue and did not speak for a long time.
Lu Zhao raised his hand and turned on the lamp: "I disagree. I will never allow her to undergo high-risk collection. In vitro culture is always better than taking risks."
Han Xue was quiet for a while. "I did think about it. The problem is that antibodies are too 'smart' and the conditions for copying them are extremely picky. When carried by ordinary mammals, the expression efficiency is almost zero. If it is cultivated using genetic engineering, it will take about a week - but the zombie tide outside may get out of control at any time, and we don't have time."
Lu Zhao gritted his teeth and said, "Spend seven days to save a group of people or kill one person right now? The choice is not yours alone! I'll put the plan here. Whoever can come up with a faster and more reliable method than me, I'll accept it. Otherwise, giving up this opportunity is just waiting for the situation to deteriorate."
Lin Che looked at the report in his hand and suddenly said, "Add the sampling frequency to me. My recovery ability can withstand more sampling. As long as the healing factor is sufficient, can we reduce our dependence on her?"
Han Xue shook her head. "Lin Che, although the healing factor you provided is strong, only the girl with the childlike voice can produce antibodies. In all the experiments so far, the inactivation rate has increased sharply only after her antibodies were involved. No matter how much you provide, it is only a one-way supply, which is not enough to increase the effective serum on a large scale."
Su Wanqing sat quietly, stroking her notebook with her fingertips, without interrupting the debate between the two.
Lu Zhao pushed aside his notebook and said in a deep voice, "Can we use the blood sample she has collected to slowly induce it in vitro? Hematopoietic stem cells can also drive antibody production, and it is not necessary to move the spinal cord."
Han Xue moved forward slightly, her voice a little dry, "Induction is possible, but the efficiency is too low. If you want to mass produce, it means giving up the golden window period. To preserve the existing results, only high-throughput collection is possible."
At this time, the intercom clicked. Liming's voice penetrated, "Are you discussing the serum breakthrough? I have news that there are more than 2,000 survivors in the whole area, close to the edge of the epidemic area. Any delay will lose your chance to survive. Now there is a chance to produce preliminary serum, you should give it a try."
Han Xue didn't put down the intercom: "According to you, can we directly extract the spinal cord sample?"
Liming answered straightforwardly: "If you still have a sense of responsibility for the salvation of mankind, you can't give up everything for one person. The girl's sacrifice is the greatest manifestation of her value. Don't hesitate. Our peripheral rescue team can't wait for you to do genetic engineering for as long as it takes."
Lu Zhao suppressed his anger and asked, "Why don't you let your team members line up and wait for an injection? Why don't you ask the girls if they want one?"
Liming snorted. "This is not a vote. You have key resources in your hands. Responsibility trumps everything. If we delay, the zombie tide will overwhelm the base, and none of you will be able to escape."
Xiao Ran had been silent the whole time. At this moment, he walked from the experimental area to the door, rolled up his sleeves, and handed a bottle of disinfectant to Lin Che.
Han Xue asked Su Wanqing in return: "I need a definite answer. From a scientific point of view, of all your plans, only large-scale sampling is effective. But I won't force anyone. The decision is in your hands."
Lin Che didn't say anything, he buried his head in his hands. In his mind, Ye and his own thoughts were in a mess, and Ye had a layer of gloomy calm, suppressing his thoughts.
Su Wanqing knocked on the table. "Han Xue, I understand the danger you mentioned. But have you done a complete physical assessment of her? Even if I agree with your plan, who will guarantee her ability to resist the risk?"
Han Xue shook her head. "We can only take one accurate sample. If we take more than one, the girl won't be able to handle it. I will record all the steps, and you can monitor the parameters in real time."
Lu Zhao stopped talking. He gritted his teeth, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote down the genetic engineering cultivation plan on the paper, marking the timetable and operational risks.
"Give me thirty-six hours. If hematopoietic induction can be completed within three days, at least she won't have to take risks."
Su Wanqing raised her hand and said calmly: "At this stage, all opinions are filed and no one is allowed to act on their own. Han Xue, if you really want to collect data, you can't implement it unless all alternative plans fail."
Lin Che raised his head, his voice slightly hoarse: "I can also increase the frequency of collection. If necessary, I can cooperate in the experimental area all day, but no matter what, we can't rely on only one child to take the risk."
Han Xue stroked the edge of the table and said, "I will try the pseudo-induction again. If it doesn't work, I will draw a conclusion."
The radio was still on, and Liming said, "The longer you delay, the more people will die. As long as we can save more people, sacrifices are inevitable."
No one said anything. Su Wanqing wrote down everyone's words and turned off the radio.
After a long time, Xiao Ran took out a few spare needles from his pocket, glanced at Lin Che, and then turned to hand them to Han Xue.
Han Xue lowered her head, sorted out the data sheet in her hand, and opened a new test kit.
The only sound in the air was the low hum of the instruments. Lin Che rested his forehead on the table, his thoughts rising and falling at night, all of which were silent pressure.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
