Swedish researches in the field of dermatology claim to have managed to unravel one of the keys that could help modern medicine prevent the rapid spreading of bacteria during wounds. This could potentially be of very high significance when it comes to counteracting the effects of bacteria that accumulates in the body.
The research was aimed at finding a method of gathering the bacteria in the body in such a way as to help the body better counteract it, rather than killing them outright with the use of antibiotics. The researches based at the Lund University have worked in collaboration with fellow researchers from Singapore and Copenhagen, and successfully published their works in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences scientific journal.
Their work has uncovered the fact that a blood protein, named thrombin, is commonly located in wounds and it contributes in combining toxins and bacteria, which is a process that is not normally seen in regular blood plasma. This aggregation process manifests itself rapidly in wounds, and as a result, toxins and bacterial will be gathered up to be devoured by inflammatory cells present in the body. This will result in the body having an increased chance of avoiding an infection spreading through the body.
The study would suggest that this aggregation process is one of the first lines of defense against potential infections, and is representative of our natural immunity. However, it has also been discovered that such a process can have its problems. Amyloid disease is caused when proteins begin aggregating in various organs or the skin. This over-driving of the process can result in potential degenerative diseases.
It is very interesting to see what future developments these discoveries will generate, as from our bodies own natural defensive mechanisms, we draw inspiration to create new defenses against the ever changing treats to our health.
