HSS 4102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Granulocyte, Complement System, Antigen

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Health Sciences
• Course: HSS 4102
• Professor: Benoit Leclerc

Document Summary

Nonspecific response to any agent that causes cell injury. Both local and systemic effects local effects: dilation (expansion) of blood vessels and increased vascular permeability leukocytes are attracted to the site of injury. Adhere to the endothelium of the small blood vessels through the walls, and migrate to the area of tissue damage. The increased warmth and redness of the inflamed tissues are caused by dilatation of capillaries and slowing of blood flow through the vessels. Swelling occurs because the extravasation (leakage) of plasma from the dilated and more permeable vessels causes the volume of fluid in the inflamed tissue to increase. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte is the most important cell in the acute in- flammatory response. It is an actively phagocytic cell that is attracted to the area by the cell injury. Mononuclear cells (monocytes, macrophages) appear later in the inflammation reaction. One of their major functions is to clean up the debris produced by the inflammatory process.