How You Got The Flu + Why it's Like Reality TV

HOW YOU JUST GOT THE FLU A Handy Infographic to Help You Understand the Biological Process Responsible for Your Current Misery Influenza viruses are kind of like reality TV stars. They can't exist unless they infect your body's cells, just like reality TV stars don't exist unless they infect your TV. And once they're in your body (or your TV) everything sucks more. INFLUENZA VIRUS GENES (8 RNA Rods) SPIKE-LIKE HA PROTEIN Sticks to cells in BURR-LIKE NUCLEUS 23 A OUTER COAT INFLUENZA VIRUS CLOSE-UP Every virus is built like a Twix candy bar. It's a bunch of genes wrapped in a coat of proteins. Instead of chocolate, they have a burr-like outer coat. Se closeup for details. CELL The proteins grab onto little receptors on the outer wall of your cells. Once a virus is inside your cell, it enters your cell's nucleus, along with chemicals called polymerases that can copy and multiply its genes. (The supporting cast.) GENES MOVE THROUGH THE CYTOPLASM GENES The viral genes now use your cell's energy and chemicals called polymerases make thousands of copies of themselves. Then they move out of the nucleus and back CYTOPLASM POLYMERASES into the cytoplasm of your cell. www. In the cytoplasm, the virus genes make new viral proteins, (kind of like reality spin-offs - think Khloe & Lamar). The genes and the proteins form thousands of new viruses with one mission: to break free of the cell and infect new cells. They push against the membrane of the cell, forming little buds. BUDDING VIRUS Most of the viruses get free and infect new cells. When you get the flu, in the first few days, millions of new viruses infect millions of your cells-until your immune system comes to the rescue and eliminates the infection, like changing the channel. Rka. Original design by digital agency Based on information published by Harvard Health Publications: http://hvrd.me/W4tGbn Raka provides smart online marketing, including website design and development, inbound marketing, app development and more. www.rakacreative.com www CELL MEMBRANE