Activity 1
Answer the following questions:
1. Briefly describe the process of inflammation in an area that has been traumatized.
A non-specific, protective reaction of the body to tissue injury is what we called inflammation. The goal of inflammation is to remove bacteria, poisons, or foreign objects from the area of injury, stop them from spreading to neighboring tissues and prepare the area for tissue repair in an effort to return the tissue to its normal state. It has specific symptoms and indicators, which we may be remembered by using the acronym PRISH (pain, redness, immobility, swelling, and heat). The pain caused by the release of certain chemicals. Redness as more blood rushes to the affected area. The immobility that is brought on by a partial loss of function in serious inflammations. Swelling caused by an accumulation of fluids and heat which is also a result of increased blood flow to the damaged region. .
The inflammatory response in each situation goes through three fundamental phases: (1) vasodilation and increased blood vessel permeability, (2) emigration (movement) of phagocytes from the circulation into the interstitial fluid, and (3) tissue repair.
During the vasodilation and increased blood vessel permeability stage, it causes more blood to flow through the wounded area and increased permeability which allows defense proteins such as antibodies and clotting factors to reach the wounded area from the blood. Additionally, the increased blood flow aids in the removal of dead cells and toxic bacteria. Some examples of compounds that help in vasodilation and increase blood vessel permeability are histamine, kinins, prostaglandins (PGs), leukotrienes, and complement.
Then, during the second stage what we called the emigration of phagocytes from the blood to the interstitial fluid, the phagocytes emerge on the scene an hour after the inflammatory process begins. As significant volumes of blood build-up, the neutrophils start to cling to the inner surface of the endothelium (lining) of blood vessels. Eventually, neutrophils then start to break through the blood vessel's wall to reach the injured area on which emigration depends. It attempts to destroy the invading microbes by phagocytosis. However, we should remember that although neutrophils predominate in the first phases of infection, they die quickly.
After that, as the inflammatory response proceeds, monocytes enter the contaminated area. Once inside the tissue, monocytes transform into wandering macrophages that boost the fixed macrophages' phagocytic activity. Gradually, they also die. Within a few days, dead phagocytes and damaged tissue combine to create pus, which it continues to develop until the infection stops.
2. Choose one type of Immunity (Innate and Humoral) and explain how its mechanism protects our body.
Innate immunity or also known as nonspecific immunity refers to defense systems that are present at our birth. It works in the same manner against all microorganisms and does not require specialized microbe recognition.
This immunity includes the first line of defense, it involves the physical and chemical barriers that prevent infections and other external objects from penetrating the body and causing disease (skin and mucous membrane). This proceeds to the second line of defense which consists of antimicrobial substances, natural killer cells for attacking attack pathogens and defective cells in our body, phagocytes for phagocytosis, inflammation or defense against tissue damage, and fever or the abnormal elevation of body temperature that increases body reactions aiding in repair.
Therefore, these responses serve as the body's early warning system for immunity and are intended to both stop microbes from entering the body and aid in their elimination once they do.
Reference: Tortora, G. & Derrickson, B. (2014). Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (14th ed.). New Jersey, NJ: Wiley