The Second Line |
Red fluid comes out of the wound in your ankle, and you notice swelling and pain. Fever: Your body raises its own temperature in an attempt to denature the invading bacteria to prevent them from spreading and increases the metabolic rate to allow you to heal faster Inflammation: Vasodilation of blood vessels allow more plasma to travel to the area the pathogen breached. Plasma carries macrophages, which ingest microbes and allow the tissue to heal. It also brings platelets to stop the bleeding and nutrients to help the healing cells. This is triggered by histamines being released by damaged cells. Phagocytosis: A process that involves phagocytes breaking down the invaders. There are two main types of phagocytes, neutrophils and macrophages. Macrophages are larger cells that can absorb a lot more of an invading substance. Neutrophils also ingest invaders but they also release enzymes that assist them in killing unwanted microorganisms. These cells are programmed to self destruct because they fight so furiously they can end up damaging your own body. Pus consists of dead neutrophils and forms after they have been fighting the infection. |