Final answer:
The immediate skin response to an injury involves bleeding and the triggering of an inflammatory response by mast cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
The immediate response by the skin to an injury is A. Bleeding occurs and mast cells trigger an inflammatory response. When the skin is injured, various defensive mechanisms are rapidly activated. Small blood vessels called capillaries may be broken, leading to bleeding. Almost simultaneously, specialized immune cells known as mast cells detect the injury and release chemical signals like histamine, which increase blood flow and the permeability of nearby capillaries. This process marks the beginning of the inflammatory response, featuring redness, heat, swelling, and pain in the affected area. While other steps such as epidermal cell replacement, scar tissue formation, and scab development occur later in the healing process, they are not immediate responses.