A person accidentally cuts their finger when preparing a meal. What is one of the responses of the innate immune system?

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Multiple Choice

A person accidentally cuts their finger when preparing a meal. What is one of the responses of the innate immune system?

When the body responds to a cut, innate defenses kick in quickly to prevent infection. A key player here is the complement system, a group of inactive proteins in the blood that activate in a cascade. Once triggered, they can directly lyse invading pathogens by forming membrane attack complexes that create pores in pathogen membranes. They also tag microbes for easier attack by phagocytes and release signals that draw more immune cells to the site. This all happens rapidly and without prior exposure, which is the essence of innate immunity. Other options involve adaptive immunity, which relies on specific immune cells or antibodies developed in response to an invader. While releasing histamine from mast cells contributes to inflammation at the injury site, it doesn’t directly break apart pathogen membranes like the complement system does.

When the body responds to a cut, innate defenses kick in quickly to prevent infection. A key player here is the complement system, a group of inactive proteins in the blood that activate in a cascade. Once triggered, they can directly lyse invading pathogens by forming membrane attack complexes that create pores in pathogen membranes. They also tag microbes for easier attack by phagocytes and release signals that draw more immune cells to the site. This all happens rapidly and without prior exposure, which is the essence of innate immunity.

Other options involve adaptive immunity, which relies on specific immune cells or antibodies developed in response to an invader. While releasing histamine from mast cells contributes to inflammation at the injury site, it doesn’t directly break apart pathogen membranes like the complement system does.

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