A 7yo boy is outside, he runs around the front yard reaches down into an ivy bed and pulls. A snake, copperhead, bites the boy on the palm of his right hand — the mother immediately drives him to a nearby ER. Upon examination, the child’s right hand is swollen and red from the fingertips to his elbow. After confirming the snake’s species, the ERP orders antivenin therapy.
Which of the following is the most important in preventing further damage to the surrounding tissues?
a. mast cells
b. neutrophils
c. platelets
d. anaphylatoxins
The answer is mast cells
