Daily Bulletin

Business Mentor

.

  • Written by Kim Murphy, Immunology researcher, Monash University

This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children. The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome – serious, weird or wacky!

Why does my snot turn green when I have a cold? – Xavier, age 8, Clifton Hill, Victoria.

That’s a great question Xavier! The first thing for us to think about is what is snot? When we are healthy, snot is just what scientists call mucus.

Mucus is a gel that lines our nose, our intestines, and even our lungs. It’s very sticky and slippery. This is because mucus is designed to help keep the germs and bugs out of our body. Any bugs that try and get in, should just get stuck in this mucus and then blown out or swallowed (where they would mostly be destroyed by our powerful stomach acids).

Read more: Curious Kids: Why do tears come out of our eyes when we cry?

Sometimes this doesn’t work and the germs infect our body. A cold is caused by a virus, and these like to get inside of our cells and make us sick. When we get sick our immune system needs to get rid of the virus and make us better.

Our immune system is made up of lots of different parts. One part is a special cell called a “neutrophil”. Neutrophils are a type of cell called a “phagocyte”. Phagocyte means a cell that eats things.

Neutrophils like to eat bugs, or our own cells that are damaged by infections like viruses that cause a cold. When we have a cold, neutrophils are one of the cells that help us get better.

Why does my snot turn green when I have a cold? A neutrophil cell. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blausen_0676_Neutrophil_(crop).png

These neutrophils work very quickly, but they don’t live for very long. Once they die we need to get rid of them, and they end up in our snot.

Neutrophils have different ways of helping us get better. They can eat bugs, they can send out nets and catch bugs, or they can send out chemicals to kill bugs. All of these processes use a special chemical called MPO (that stands for myeloperoxidase but don’t worry, most scientists just call it MPO).

Read more: Curious Kids: Do astronauts get space sick when they travel from Earth to the International Space Station?

MPO is a chemical that makes a type of bleach. Just like you might use bleach when you are cleaning your home, this bleach kills infections. Neutrophils release MPO to kill any germs that it has eaten, or sends it out with its nets, or as one of the chemicals that it releases to kill any bugs.

MPO contains a green colour. And because the dead neutrophils end up in our snot, the MPO in the neutrophils makes our snot look green.

Lots of people think green snot means you are really sick, or that you need antibiotics to treat your infection. But this is not true. Green snot is actually a sign that our immune system is working and that we are getting better.

Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to us. They can:

* Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au * Tell us on Twitter

Why does my snot turn green when I have a cold? CC BY-ND Please tell us your name, age and which city you live in. You can send an audio recording of your question too, if you want. Send as many questions as you like! We won’t be able to answer every question but we will do our best.

Authors: Kim Murphy, Immunology researcher, Monash University

Read more http://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-does-my-snot-turn-green-when-i-have-a-cold-98379

Business News

How any Australian business can generate huge leads from agency assisted CRO

Just how to get the most from an Australian business is something that continually has owners and management scratching their heads. The truth of the matter is that they are going about it in the ...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Choosing the Right Mini Digger: Factors to Consider

In the vast landscape of construction and landscaping projects across Australia, mini diggers have become indispensable tools. These compact machines pack a powerful punch, offering versatility and ...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Effective Strategies to Generate and Nurture Sales Leads for Business Growth

Boost your business's growth. Discover effective strategies to generate and nurture sales leads! A sales lead refers to an individual or business entity that is potentially interested in purchasing...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Tomorrow Business Growth