The primary line of defence against harmful ecological agents is the ciliated respiratory epithelium which protects the respiratory tract by sweeping away substances that overly the mucus gel layer, activating and recruiting other immune cells, and phagocytosing and killing some pathogens. Smoking of cigarettes results in structural changes in the respiratory tract. Some of these changes include the disruption of the respiratory epithelium, changes in pathogen adherence, impairment of the mucociliary clearance, increased mucosal permeability, and peribronchiolar inflammation and fibrosis. These changes predispose the respiratory tract to the development of infections and smoker’s cough. The structural changes in the airway epithelial cells are due to the numerous components in the smoke produced by cigarettes. Some of these components are formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and nitric oxide. Thus, smokers are at an increased risk of respiratory and smoker’s cough because of the structural changes in the ciliated respiratory epithelium caused by cigarette smoke.
Ectopic pregnancy is a complication of pregnancy in which the fertilised egg implants itself outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Scientists found that women who smoke are at increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. This is because there is a chemical in cigarette smoke called Cotinine triggers a reaction that increases protein, called PROKR1, in the fallopian tube (BBC, 2010). The presence of this protein in the fallopian tube increases the chances of a fertilised egg implanting itself outside the uterus.
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Lysosomes are organelles within the digestive system that digest the extra waste from food particles or digest worn-out organelles and engulfed bacterial or viruses. If lysosomes become defective wastes would build up in the cells, and the body wouldn’t be able to fight viruses and bacteria. This would result in cellular malfunctions and abnormalities such as neuropathic disorders and allergies. Some lysosome storage disease includes Tay-Sachs disease, Gaucher, Niemann-Pick, Fabry, and Pompe disease (Summar & Tanpainboon, N.d).
References
BBC. (2010). Smoking Link to Ectopic Pregnancy. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11418432 . Accessed 19 th Jan 2019.
Summar, M. & Tanpainboon. (N.d). Pediatric Lysosomal Storage Disorders. [Online]. Available at: https://childrensnational.org/choose-childrens/conditions-and-treatments/genetic-disorders-and-birth-defects/lysosomal-storage-disorders . Accessed 19 th Jan 2019.
