Anatomy Of A Virus

Everyday in our lives there is a constant battle between our bodies and multitude of microbes. To bacteria, viruses, and fungi, many of which cause disease where the human body represents a warm haven where food is plentiful. One of the fundamental aspects of living things is their ability to replicate themselves and pass on instruction to make new individuals from one generation to another. Viruses can only reproduce within the cells of other organisms. In this way viruses cause many diseases, from the common colds to AIDS.

In our advance technology today there is no impossible. Even the smallest structural part of a virus can already be seen through the use of a zoom microscope. The ability of the zoom microscope to magnify and take a peek inside the virus and its whole structure has given modern medicine the ability to fight disease. The information derived from a virus which can attack bacteria is a huge progress in medicine, especially when some drugs like antibiotic will no longer be effective in our body because bacteria and viruses becomes immune.

With the discovery of this high resolution zoom microscope, it has allowed scientists to study virus, like the Epsilon which is a bacteriophage that contaminate bacteria. This virus is 9.5 angstroms across and less than a billionth of a meter. With the use of a zoom microscope the major elements of the virus; together with the hub, the tailspikes, and the big mass of dsDNA, allows us to study even the smallest detail.

Using zoom microscope scientists have studied the complex structure of a virus. Its major structure has still some minor structure that comprises smaller structures. By looking inside the virus it was also discovered that it has a core which the scientist did not expect to see and they believe that the core helps alleviate the release of the DNA coil into the bacterium.

Our only natural defense against viruses is the formation of antibodies and antigens. It is a foreign substance; the protein on the coat of a bacterium stimulates an immune response. When T cells meet antigens they respond by multiplying and dividing, releasing molecules that stimulate other cells of the immune system to grow. There are many different kinds of T cells that can recognize and kill cells infected with viruses. T-helper cells can help macrophages to kill microorganisms.

Viruses that cause diseases sometimes manage to evade these defenses and begin to multiply in the body. One of the functions of antibodies is to protect the human body against invading microbes. The antibodies can also recognized and reject foreign materials. With the continued research and improvement, we hope to discover more effective means of fighting diseases. And with improvements on diagnostic such as the zoom microscope an accurate assessment can be made and done on viruses that invade our bodies. Giving hope in finding a cure to diseases that still evades modern medicine, such as cancer. Hopefully in the near future a cure can be found.
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