blood vessel (IMAGE)
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This image, taken by confocal microscopy, shows a blood vessel. The protein actin, which helps make up the skeleton of a cell, is labeled in green. Thrombin, a pro-inflammatory mediator, causes gaps between blood vessel barrier cells. When the immune system is over-activated, as occurs in sepsis, blood vessels can become leaky and major organs can’t get the oxygen and nutrients they require to sustain life.
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UC San Diego Health Sciences
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