Rebuilding the Immune System

"Rebuild the immune system?" Wang Wei was dumbfounded.

"Do you know about the most effective clinical treatment for leukemia currently?" Chen Chen asked.

"Uh, never really paid attention. This is probably more in the department of biomedical science." Wang Wei scratched his head.

"Simply put, leukemia is a type of hematopoietic stem cell disease. Due to certain factors, a harmful proliferation phenomenon occurs in the hematopoietic stem cells in the body. It causes a disruption to the regular hematopoietic function of the human body. It shares a similar principle with cancer, therefore it's also known as 'blood cancer'."

Chen Chen continued explaining, "In the current day and age in the medical world, the most effective method for treating leukemia is by pairing bone marrows. This is done by selecting a donor with genetics as close as possible with the patient. The patient will then receive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, effectively killing the hematopoietic stem cell in the bone marrow.

"After that, the donor will be injected with a drug known as a 'mobilizer' to stimulate rapid growth of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow which is then spread into the blood. Then, the hospital will extract these stem cells and inject them into the patient.

"Since the hematopoietic stem cells previously in the patient have been killed, there's now a niche in the patient's body. The newly injected hematopoietic stem cells will create a reaction known as 'nesting'. The immune system will be rebuilt in one to two months starting from the time of the injection into the patient's bone marrow."

Chen Chen concluded. "This is known as the bone marrow transplant by using healthy hematopoietic stem cells in the donor to replace the diseased stem cells in the patient's body. In truth, it doesn't refer to the bone marrow despite what the name implies as it's only a transplant of hematopoietic stem cells."

"What does that have to do with your experiment?" Xia Yin quickly asked.

"The third experiment is to select a group of elderly large rats and clone them. After that, extract the hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells from the cloned bodies.

"Just like how leukemia is treated, kill the hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells in this group of rats and replace them with the cloned stem cells."

Chen Chen pondered. "If successful, will these old rats be restored to their youth?"

"Pro… Probably not?" Xia Yin looked surprised.

"Why not?"

The corner of Chen Chen's lips curled up a little. "Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into hepatocytes, osteoblasts, fat cells, chondrocytes, stromal cells, and many other cells.

"Why does the human body age? It's due to functional decline of human muscles, bones, and internal organs. But why do the functions of human muscles, bones, and internal organs age in the first place? That's because of the aging of the stem cells.

"The stem cells in a young person can continuously replicate and replace aged muscle cells, bone cells, and visceral cells. Therefore, the metabolism of a young man is faster than that of an adult, but after around thirty-years-old, the stem cells will begin to age. The speed of replication slowly fails to keep up with the speed at which the cells age, which results in the human body aging…"

Chen Chen claimed. "In that case, if the mesenchymal stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells in the human body can be restored to their youth, will the human body subsequently be restored to its youth as well? Even if the organs cannot be revitalized, the muscles, bones, hematopoietic function, and other functionalities of the body could be revitalized. Surely this is something that many people can only dream of attaining?"

When Xia Yin heard this, she appeared to be deep in thought. Since she was in her senior year, she was slightly more knowledgeable than Wang Wei. She understood more than Wang Wei about the implications of the impact of this experiment on the medical world if it was successful.

"If it was successful, it could be invested into a sector." A longing expression appeared on Xia Yin's face.

"I've already contacted Mongan Pharmaceutical Company. We can use their connections to help us buy the experimental drugs needed for the experiment. I asked about the price and it seems fair."

Chen Chen added. "We can begin the experiment right away today."

"Let's go then," Xia Yin said, "If we begin early, maybe we could complete it within three months!"

The three of them set off immediately. They took a car to the Mongan Pharmaceutical Company building. Mr. Mediterranean, who Chen Chen and Xia Yin were previously acquainted with, had been waiting for some time.

In just a few days since they last met, the Mediterranean Sea on Mr. Mediterranean's head seemed to have expanded wider.

"You guys are finally here. If you took any longer, the higher-ups are going to be pissed at me."

Mr. Mediterranean frowned. "I shouldn't have agreed with the terms of your rental period starting at winter break. We had to stomach more than a week of losses."

"Is everything purchased?"

"Done, head-mounted experiment recorder and various experimental chemicals are already purchased and placed on the fifth floor for you."

Mr. Mediterranean took out three magnetic cards and handed them to Chen Chen. "This is the access card for the lab. We'll send someone to inspect the lab once a month. If there are any damages, you'll be expected to compensate us accordingly. Please take good care of our experiment equipment and the lab environment."

"Certainly." Chen Chen accepted the access cards.

"This one as well." He took out yet another name card. "This is the contact of the laboratory supplier. If you need any experimental drugs or animals, you can call this number."

Chen Chen received the name card. The contact of the Shangdu Animal Research Center personnel was written on the card. He then handed the name card to Xia Yin.

Since they had already signed the agreement, Mr. Mediterranean took his leave after taking Chen Chen and the others to the fifth floor.

"The entire floor is the laboratory you guys rented?"

Wang Wei began looking around everywhere when he got to the fifth floor. He curiously inspected everything. "This is so luxurious. It's even better than the lab in school. Oh yeah, where's the entrance to the GMP lab? How come I don't see the entrance?"

"It's inside the basic lab."

Chen Chen put on disposable slippers and walked into the basic laboratory. "The blue alloy door in front is the entrance. There are also two compartments behind the basic lab. I had them buy three beds and put them in there. We can use it as a lounge."

Two of them followed him and saw many items piled up in the basic laboratory. Among the items were three folding beds.

Apart from that, there were various packaged chemicals. It was going to take the three of them some time to move the chemicals into the cleanroom area.

As students at the Institute of Biological Sciences, this was not the first time these three had entered a sterile laboratory so they were familiar with the protocol. Wang Wei was put in charge of moving the chemicals into the buffer corridor and Xia Yin would then put them into the transferring window. Chen Chen would receive the items from inside the GMP laboratory.

The three of them began working. They split the tasks among themselves and made sure to accomplish their respective tasks properly.

Just after a short while, the elevator door opened again. A man pushed in a small cart of sterile boxes.

"Is this the SPS grade experimental animals you ordered?"

"That's right." Wang Wei was in the exterior area passing the chemicals. He quickly informed Xia Yin to come out to check the experimental animals and sign the package.

The experimental animals consisted of sixty SD rats and ten experimental rabbits. After a simple handover, the two of them relocated these animals to the breeding room.