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THE CELLULAR DETOX LAB / 90 SECOND PATROL

Peroxisome Patrol

Break down fatty acids.
Keep peroxide under control.

TIME REMAINING1:30
CHAINS SHORTENED0 / 24
CELL INTEGRITY100%
UPGRADE CREDITS0
Ready for patrolFatty acid queue: 3 / 8

A SMALL ORGANELLE. A BIG BALANCING ACT.

Keep the cell in balance.

Shorten 24 fatty acid chains and finish with at least 60% cell integrity.

90 seconds · Mouse, touch or keyboard
ILLUSTRATED CELL INTERIOR · NOT TO SCALE
Select a peroxisome. Feed it a fatty acid, then manage the peroxide.

Peroxisome 1 selected1–3: feed station · Space: catalase · P: pause

WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE?

01 / Oxidation

Peroxisomes shorten very long chain fatty acids through β-oxidation. The oxidase step transfers electrons to oxygen, producing hydrogen peroxide.

02 / Detoxification

Catalase converts excess peroxide into water and oxygen: 2 H₂O₂ → 2 H₂O + O₂. Balance processing with peroxide removal.

03 / Cooperation

In animal cells, shortened fatty acids can undergo further oxidation in mitochondria. Peroxisomal oxidation does not directly make ATP.

Timer, credits, enzyme boosts and damage thresholds are game mechanics. Molecule sizes and processing rates are illustrative.

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FIELD GUIDE

How to Play

Complete a 90-second patrol. Shorten at least 24 chains and keep 60% cell integrity to earn Balanced Patrol.

  1. Select one of the three peroxisomes in the scene or its panel.
  2. Feed fatty acid starts a 2.8-second β-oxidation job. Completion earns one credit and adds peroxide to that organelle.
  3. Watch its peroxide meter. Above 55 game units, oxidative stress damages the cell. Basal catalase removes peroxide continuously.
  4. Catalase boost removes up to 30 peroxide units, then recharges for 7 seconds. Boosts target the selected organelle.
  5. Spend 4 credits to increase a station’s continuous catalase clearance. Each station allows two upgrades. Rotate jobs to spread the load.

The queue receives new fatty acids every 1.8 seconds, up to eight. Later waves add peroxide load. You can pause anytime; opening this guide pauses the patrol.

Keyboard: 1–3 feed the corresponding station; Space boosts the selected station; P pauses. Buttons support mouse, touch, Tab and Enter.

This is an animal-cell teaching model. Manual boosts, budgets and thresholds represent gameplay decisions rather than literal biological controls.

PATROL REPORT