Briefly describe the process of inflammation in an area that has been traumatized.
Inflammation is a process that is triggered by the body in response to tissue damage. Many factors can cause this damage, such as pathogens, abrasions, chemical irritation, cell distortion and extreme temperatures. There are three stages of inflammation, during which different sign-symptoms can occur, namely PRISH (P-ain R-edness I-mmobility S-welling H-eat).
The three stages of inflammation are as follows:
Vasodilation and increased blood vessel permeability
- arterioles vasodilate (increase in diameter)
- more blood can flow to injured area; increased blood flow helps remove toxins and dead cells
- permeability of capillaries increase
- defensive proteins (antibodies) can permeate and enter injured area
- helps with blood clotting
Emigration of Phagocytes
- phagocytes appear on injured site
- neutrophils stick to endothelium of blood cells, then squeeze through blood vessel walls in order to destroy invading microbes
Tissue Repair
- After fighting off foreign bodies and pathogens, body starts the healing process for damaged tissues
Choose one type of Immunity (Innate and Humoral) and explain how its mechanism protects our body.
Humoral immunity is a type of adaptive immunity, meaning it has the ability to fight against specific invading agents like bacteria, viruses, and other foreign tissues. There are two types of adaptive immunity, but while cell-mediated immunity refers to cells attacking other cells and intracellular pathogens, humoral immunity (also known as antibody-mediated immunity), works against extracellular pathogens (pathogens in body fluids outside cells) with antibodies. The antibodies of antibody-mediated immunity bind to antigens in body humors or fluids (blood, lymph), which lead to it also being called humoral immunity.