- Briefly describe the process of inflammation in an area that has been traumatized.
As injuries accidentally happen to us, the body readily responds to the traumatized area. Signs and symptoms of it may include redness, pain, heat, and swelling. Sometimes, the tissue may lose its function due to the injury caused and to what extent it is. Inflammation happens when our body fixes the injured site, which happens in three stages:
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Vasodilation and increased blood vessel permeability: the increase in the diameter of blood vessels aids in transporting more blood flow. On the other hand, the increased blood vessel permeability helps transport the white blood cells that will respond to the injured area.
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Emigration of phagocytes: the movement of the white blood cells between walls of blood vessels helps them get to the injured area faster. They will then destroy the invading microbes to prevent infections in the injury.
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Tissue repair is when clotting factors can now regenerate back the tissues affected by the injury.
Reference: Tortora, G., & Derrickson, B. (2014). Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. 14th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Choose one type of Immunity (Innate and Humoral) and explain how its mechanism protects our body.
Innate immunity, also known as nonspecific immunity, includes external and internal barriers and defenses in our body.
- External Barriers: the first line of defense
As the largest organ in our body, it is undeniable that the skin protects us from various infections and bacteria; its different layers prevent the invasion of foreign materials. Since it undergoes shedding, it removes the microbes sticking to our skin. Apart from this, the mucous membrane that secretes mucus traps foreign materials before they can even enter the internal areas of our bodies. The hairs of the nose and cilia of the respiratory tract filter the microbes going inside our lungs. Some liquids, enzymes, and chemicals also help to prevent the build-up of microbes inside our bodies. It can be expelled through defecation and draining, as well as the microbial invasion of pathogens. However, some pathogens are too strong, invading our body's external barriers.
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Internal Defense: the second line of defense
If these microbes were fast and strong enough to avoid the first line of defense, the second defense is still waiting for them. The antimicrobial surfaces, natural killer cells and phagocytes, inflammation, and fever are part of the internal body defenses. (1) The antimicrobial substances prevent the growth of microbes through interferons and proteins. (2) The natural killer cells and phagocytes, true to what they are called, attack and kill infected cells and ingest the microbes inside the foreign material. (3) Inflammation, as mentioned above, is the body's response to an injury. Lastly, (4) fever is the body's response to prevent microbes from growing and speed up the body, increasing the amount of blood and repairing the injury as fast as possible.
Reference: Tortora, G., & Derrickson, B. (2014). Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. 14th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.