Reference no: EM132882684

A 7-year-old boy is outside on a beautiful sunny day. As he runs around in the front yard, he sees something moving that captures his attention. He reaches down into an ivy bed and pulls. What he thinks is a nonvenomous snake is actually a member of the venomous pit viper species, a copperhead. The snake curls and bites the young boy on the palm of his right hand just below his thumb. He cries out in pain, drops the snake, and runs to his father. The mother immediately drives the child to a local hospital's emergency department. His father follows behind after recovering what he believes to be the snake that bit his son. Upon examination, the child's right hand is swollen and red from the fingertips to his elbow. After confirming the snake's species, the emergency department physician orders that the child begin antivenin therapy.

Question 1: What is the most important in preventing further damage to surrounding tissues... mast cells, neutrophils, platelets, and/or anaphylatoxins? Explain.

Question 2: After several days of treatment and observation, the child is allowed to return home. He is able to wiggle all of his fingers, has full sensation, and can flex and extend his wrist without pain. The bite area remains red and scabbed over. As he continues to recover, his body must continue the reconstruction phase and then move on to the maturation phase. What are the most important cells during the reconstructive phase of wound healing? Explain.