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by F Dubya on January 25th, 2006

F Dubya

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What is snot made of?

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  • by ggonnigan on January 26th, 2006

    ggonnigan

    Professor Meadows, an immunologist at Washington State University says, "The drainage from your nose is largely made up of mucous and fluid."
    The internal portion of your nose is lined with something called a mucous membrane, same as the inside of your stomach. In the stomach, mucous defends you against yourself. Its slimy, lubricating coating guards the lining of your stomach against the hydrochloric acid that helps digest your food.
    In the nose, mucous has two roles. Along with tiny hair-like projections called cilia, it traps dust, bacteria, and other small particles breathed in with air. Working together as a filtering team, they make the air easier to breathe, cleaner and more free of such harmful things as bacteria.
    Basically, snot is a mixture of water and the particles that it and the cilia filter out. It also includes shed epithelial cells, dead leukocytes, dead bacteria and their products, mucin, and inorganic salts.
    Epithelial cells line all the inside surfaces of your body, including your nose. They die and are shed much like the skin that peels off in the shower when you have a sunburn. Mucous acts like a shower in your nose, washing away the elderly cells.
    White blood cells, or leukocytes, are soldiers in the war on bacteria and other foreign material in your nose. Leukocytes protect your nose (and your body) by swallowing all that bad stuff. Then they die and are washed out in mucous.
    Mucin is a sugar made by the mucous membrane that lines your nose. It is one of the products that helps moisten, lubricate, and protect the inside of the nasal passage.
    The inorganic salts are materials breathed in that can harden and become…boogers..


    Reference Link:

    http://www.wsu.edu/DrUniverse/snot.html

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    • Yay someone actually using a sorce other than Wikipedia!!!!! and a .EDU wonderful!!!! ++++++for you!

      glamorgirli

      by glamorgirli on October 3rd, 2007

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