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To counter the inflammation caused by a bee sting, your friend Alan takes an antihistamine. What type of blood cell’s activity is this helping to counteract?

A. neutrophils

B. lymphocytes

C. erythrocytes

D. basophils

User Ymattw
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1 Answer

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Answer:

The activity of blood cells that can be counteracted by an antihistamine is the release of histamine by basophils (option D).

Step-by-step explanation:

Histamine is an inflammatory mediator produced and released by the body in response to an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction. This substance is produced by the mast cell, a basophilic leukocyte that participates in the immune response.

When a person produces an allergic reaction, such as from a bee sting, the presence of the bee venom causes the mast cells to release the histamine they contain, producing capillary vasodilation and the signs of inflammation.

Anti-histamines are a type of medication that prevent mast cells from releasing histamine.

The other options are not correct because cells like erythrocytes, neutrophils or lymphocytes do not contain histamine.

User Ashine
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