Cytokine storm

 

Researchers traced the cause of death in some COVID-19 patients and discovered it was due to multi-organ failure. Most likely cytokines caused this.

Cytokines are substances that initiate body’s response to foreign insults; infection, transplants etc. They work by waking up the cells of the immune system who then fights off the invaders.

Cytokines resemble hormones in their mechanism of action but cytokines are required in smaller quantities to control target cells.


Cytokine storm occurs when cytokines are released in excess stimulating a lot of immune cells leading to organ damage and may end up in death.

Cytokine storm can be due to a body’ response to infection e.g COVID or non-infectious condition like organ transplant. It can also occur in autoimmune diseases (body fighting its own cells.)

Cytokines in themselves are good, just the excess cause problems. 


More @ https://www.healthline.com/health/cytokine-storm

Photo credits: https://www.google.com/search?q=cartoon+of+cytokine&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjEvYOmpeX5AhUFhRoKHdyZDw8Q2-cCegQIABAC&oq=cartoon+of+cytokine&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzoECCMQJzoFCAAQgAQ6BggAEB4QBzoHCCMQ6gIQJzoECAAQAzoECAAQQzoGCAAQHhAIOgQIHhAKUOYbWKNUYPRbaAJwAHgBgAHDDYgBxk2SAQ8yLTYuNi4yLjEuMS4yLjGYAQCgAQGwAQXAAQE&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=yCUJY8S5B4WKatyzvng&bih=553&biw=375&rlz=1CDGOYI_enNG934NG935&hl=en-US#imgrc=7Qb-PMuk8CQpuM

Comments

  1. Cytokine sounds like Sandokan😂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. “...when we walk in deep in the wild, Sandokan!...” 😉🥰🥰

      Delete
  2. An extract from the writeup "Cytokines in themselves are good, just the excess cause problems" 🤝

    ReplyDelete

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