Snot!
Snot
|
|
Snot Functions
Snot serves many different functions within the processes in an animal's body:Snot and the Respiratory system
In the respiratory system, snot traps particles such as bacteria and dust, helping to prevent them from entering the body; this occurs especially in the nose. Snot aids in the protection of the lungs by trapping foreign particles that enter the nose during normal breathing. Additionally, it prevents tissues from drying out.Increased snot production in the respiratory tract is a symptom of many common ilnesses, such as the common cold. The presence of snot in the nose and throat is normal, but increased quantities can impede comfortable breathing and must be cleared by blowing the nose or expectorating phlegm from the throat. Among the components of nasal snot are tears.
Dried nasal snot (vulgarly or colloquially called "snot", "booger(s)", "boogie(s)" (US) or "bogey" (UK) is partially solidified snot from the nose. Dried nasal snot forms when the snot traps dust and other particles in the air. Snot dries around the particle and hardens, somewhat like a pearl forming in an oyster. Since catching foreign particles is one of the main functions of nasal snot, the presence of dried nasal snot is a good indicator of a properly functioning nose.
Snot Mucin
Snot is produced by submucosal cells as well as goblet cells in the respiratory system. It consists of mucin, a highly glycolsilated peptide. Upon stimulation, MARPKs (myrastine-alanine rich protein kinases) signal the binding of mucin filled vesicles to the plasma membrane. The fusion of the vesicles causes the release of the mucin, which as it exchanges Ca2+ for Na+ expands up to 600 fold. The result is a viscoelastic product of interwoven molecules called snot.Snot and the Digestive system
In the digestive system, snot is used as a lubricant for materials which must pass over membranes, e.g., food passing down the esophagus. A layer of snot along the inner walls of the stomach is vital to protect the cell linings of that organ from the highly acidic environment within it.Snot Reproductive system
Cervical snotIn the reproductive system, cervical snot prevents infection and helps the movement of the penis during sexual intercourse. When thin, cervical snot helps the movement of spermatozoa.Nasal snot
Nasal snot is snot produced by the nasal mucosa. It serves to protect the respiratory tract and trap foreign objects such as dust and pollen before they enter the remainder of the respiratory tract. Nasal snot is produced continually, and most of it is swallowed subconsciously.Diseases involving snot
Generally snot is clear and thin, serving to filter air during inhalation. During times of infection, snot can change color to yellow or green either as a result of trapped bacteria, or due to the body's reaction to viral infection.In the case of bacterial infection, the bacterium becomes trapped in already clogged sinuses, breeding in the moist, nutrient-rich environment. In this case, the clogged sinuses are a result of some other condition (such as allergies) and the bacterial infection is secondary to this original cause. When two different colors of common bacteria become mixed (such as yellow Staphylococcus aureus and blue Pseudomonas pyocyanea) the resulting shade is often green. Antibiotics may be used fruitfully to treat the secondary infection in these cases, but will generally not help with the original cause.
In the case of a viral infection such as cold or flu, the first stage of infection causes the production of a clear, thin snot in the nose or back of the throat. As the body begins to react to the virus (generally one to three days), snot thickens and may turn yellow or green. In these cases, antibiotics will not be useful, and are a major source of misuse. Treatment is generally symptom-based; the only cure is to allow the immune system to fight off the virus over time.
Snot Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects the entire body, but symptoms begin mostly in the lungs. The lungs become inflamed and produce excess snot which is difficult to expel.Cold weather and snot
During cold weather, the cilia which normally sweep snot away from the nostrils and towards the back of the throat (see respiratory epithelium) become sluggish or completely cease functioning. This results in snot running down the nose and dripping (a runny nose). Snot also thickens in cold weather; when an individual comes in from the cold, the snot thaws and begins to run before the cilia begin to work again.Snot As a medical symptom
Increased snot production in the respiratory tract is a symptom of many common diseases, such as the common cold. The presence of snot in the nose and throat is normal, but increased quantities can hinder comfortable breathing and may be cleared by blowing the nose or expectorating excess snot from the back of the throat. Nasal snot may also be removed by using traditional methods of nasal irrigation. Excess snot, as with a cold or allergies may be treated cautiously with decongestant drugs. Thickening of snot by decongestant drugs may produce problems of drainage and circumstances that promote infection. Snot with any color other than clear or white is generally an indicator of an infection of the nasal mucosa or the paranasal sinus.Dried snot
Dried snot forms when the snot traps dust and other particles in the air and becomes desiccated. Snot dries around the particle and hardens into a solid or semi-solid sticky object, resulting in the particle's eventual expulsion from the body. Since catching foreign particles is one of the main functions of nasal snot, the presence of dried snot formations is a good indicator of a properly functioning nose (as opposed to a "runny nose", which can indicate illness).Snot Rhinolith
A rhinolith is defined by the The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary as a "calculus present in the nasal cavity." This is not to be confused with dried snot formations commonly known as boogers, as they are a normal result of snot drying out.Snot Colloquial terms
Snot - a general term for nasal snot Booger, boogie, bogie - solidified nasal snot Loogie - expectorated snotSnot Some derivation
A "loogie" is a slang expression used in North America to refer to a mass of sputum that is ejected from the mouth after being expelled from the throat of a person with nasal congestion. The expression "hocking a loogie" refers to expelling the phlegm in an obviously noisy manner involving violent vibrations of the glottis, producing a low, guttural, rumbling sound. "Hock" (alternate spelling "hawk") is derived from the archaic word "hough," pronounced the same way, meaning to clear one's throat. The word "loogie" arose as early as 1970, and appears to be a conjunction of the older slang "lung-er" (meaning an expectoration or a tuberculosis patient) and the word "booger" or "boogie." This practice may have other names in other countries and within the medical community. In the UK, the mass can be referred to as a 'flob', a portmanteau of the phonetic pronunciation of phlegm and 'gob', a slang term for saliva.A "snot rocket" is a slang term referencing the act of holding one nostril while forcefully exhaling through the other mucous filled nostril resulting in a "rocket"-like projection of snot from the nose and sinuses. This is also known as a "dustman's flick' or "farmer's blow" or "farmer's hanky" or more offensively as a "guinea hankerchief."
Dried nasal snot is often removed by nose-picking. The social taboos regarding nasal snot have also led to a wide variety of slang terms for nasal snot, including "snot" for nasal snot, and "boogers", "boogies" (U.S.) or "bogies" (UK) for dried nasal snot.
