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The Marvelous Macrophage – Soldier of the Body

I found this brave young macrophage lady in the ice pond of a Boston winter bravely fighting off pathogenic bacteria.  AiA applies the concept of multiple cyst like ice structures to the anatomy of the body, and in this instance to the lysosomes and other organelles in the cell.  The pseudopods of the dendritic cell are presented as the spiculated ice formations emanating from the edge of the white cell.

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The Marvelous Macrophage – Soldier of the Body

I found this brave young macrophage lady in the ice pond of a Boston winter bravely fighting off pathogenic bacteria.  AiA applies the concept of multiple cyst like ice structures to the anatomy of the body, and in this instance to the lysosomes and other organelles in the cell.  The pseudopods of the dendritic cell are presented as the spiculated ice formations emanating from the edge of the white cell. Ice bubbles form around air and other small structures of the earth and create follicular shaped structures of varying size on the ovarian like structure. The formation of ice crystals requires special winter conditions.  Freezing cold and water are basic ingredients. Temperature and humidity determine crystalline forms.

Macrophages (from the Greek = big eaters) are a type of white cell that are found in the blood but also find their way into the interstitial tissues and function as roving police on the one hand and as garbage collectors on the hand.  They are a type of  dendritic cells because of their shape. They recognize dangerous enemies but also substances that may be harmful to the body.  They identify the harmful organisms by detecting an unwanted protein chain, and this mechanism is considered specific ie the enemy is recognized as enemy.  There is also a nonspecific mechanism where they recognise debris or potentially toxic chemicals.  Using a mechanism called chemotaxis the macrophage moves toward the enemy via pseudopods and an ameboid mechanism.  With the same mechanism they surround, engulf the enemy and incorporate the foreign material with a phagocytic vesicle and destroy the unwanted microbes .

In addition to being the front line soldier they send messages to recruit other immune cells such as lymphocytes to assist with the process.

In this art piece the ice bubbles of lysosomes abound in the cytoplasm.  They are likely formations of air bubbles caught in the snow and ice which helped this beautiful creation of nature.  The pseupods of ice projecting off the cell membrane represent the pseudopods of the macrophage and there are a few of the enemies in the cytoplasm represent enemies that are being dealt with by the brave macrophage.

On the day I photographed the image, the conditions were ripe. A  “bad” snowstorm in February 2016 with 8-12 inches of snow, was followed by a Valentines day of zero degrees Fahrenheit, and then followed a day later by a morning with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  Ice ponds with transparent and often cracked thin ice could be found all over the park  As I looked more closely at these ice ponds with my macro lens – my breath was taken away by the geometric forms of nature. One just has to look at the microcosms of the backyard and you will find little pieces of heaven and the miraculous earth.  Just a click of the camera and a moment of time in nature, likely never to surface again, was captured.

Related categories:  forces, shape, units to unity, time, bonds and connections, forces, water theme