Studying the lymphatic system helped me understand its importance and its contributions to the different body systems for homeostasis. One of the concepts mentioned was the process of inflammation in an area that has been traumatized, or our inflammatory response. This starts with vasodilation or the increase in the diameter of arterioles to allow more blood to flow to the damaged area.
Our family has a long history of diabetes. Growing up, I have always wondered why my uncle’s wounds would take so long to heal compared to mine and my cousins. Mom would always remind him to be careful of cuts, adding that this wound may lead to an infection and it will have a hard time to heal. Applying one of the concepts I have learned today, I found out that people with diabetes have poor blood circulation as high blood glucose can thicken blood vessel walls because it causes fatty deposits to form inside. Due to this, the lymphatic system cannot perform the primary inflammatory response which is vasodilation or the increase in the diameter of arterioles to allow more blood to flow to the damaged area. Proper blood circulation is crucial for delivering oxygen, essential nutrients, and immune cells to the wound site, which are essential for the healing process. It is important to take care of the different body systems because our body systems work together for our body’s homeostasis. Damage to one system may affect the other, disrupting our internal stability.