Anatomy and Physiology Week 13

This week we discussed the inflammation process. In response to injury, damaged tissue cells(mast cells in connective tissue, basophils in blood) release histamine, increasing blood flow to the area. Kinins then induce vasodilation and serve as chemotactic agents for phagocytes. Prostaglandins are released by damaged cells and intensify the effects of histamine and kinins. Phagocytes engulf bacteria, dead cells, and debris. Componenets of the complement system stimulated the release of histamine and the promotion of phagocytosis. The increased permeability of capillaries allows the leakage of blood clotting factors into the tissue. the clotting sequence is set into motion and fibrogen is converted to the thick meshwork of fibrin that traps invading microbes and prevents their spread. It is hard to imagine that all these things happen just to have an inflammatory response. I know next time I get a burn or something that causes inflammation I will have to think about all the things that go on to cause it.