Mucus

[Queso]

What's the purpose of all this mucus and flem that I'm coughing up when I'm sick?

 

Why does it occur whilst ill?

[infamous]

What's the purpose of all this mucus and flem that I'm coughing up when I'm sick?

 

Why does it occur whilst ill?

It's a defense mechanism your body uses to fight the infection. White blood cells attack the invading germ, virus, or bacteria by capturing them within their cell walls. The accumulation of mucus in the lungs is another feature of defense the body uses against infection. When this accumulation becomes large enough, the body expells it along with the offending agents.

...............................Infy

[InfiniteNow]

Science & Technology in Action

 

As well as wrapping ourselves in skin, we protect our bodies by producing mucus, a slimy material secreted by mucous membranes. Mucus entraps micro-organisms, and so helps protect the reproductive, digestive, respiratory and urinary systems. An enzyme in mucus called lysozyme kills bacteria – you find lysozyme in tears and saliva too. In the stomach the hydrochloric acid in gastric juice also kills bacteria.

 

Other general defences include the cilia that move the mucus in our breathing system up to the pharynx where it is swallowed, mutualistic bacteria in our large intestine and the acidic environment of the vagina.

 

 

:cocktail:

[erich]

Once I worked with an adolescent who's attention getting behavior was primarily eating glass in front of hospital staff. To desensitize the staff in order for them to ignore such graphic behavior we had internal medicine specialist give them lectures how as long as the glass is not chewed too finely, it passes without harm because of the coating action of the mucus. It was a most difficult behavior to ignore, with all the mouth bleeding, but the program worked within a week.