For one week, a 48-year-old man is evaluated for shortness of breath and a dry cough. The patient has never had similar symptoms before and does not take any medications. He has a 5-pack-year smoking history and does not drink or use illegal drugs. The patient is a pig farmer from Ohio who has not traveled in a long time. The temperature is 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), the blood pressure is 128/85 mm Hg, the pulse rate is 95 beats per minute, and the respirations rate is 16 beats per minute. Auscultation of the lungs reveals scattered wheezing and crackles. The image below depicts a peripheral blood smear. The nucleated cells seen on this patient's peripheral smear most likely perform which of the following functions?

Question

For one week, a 48-year-old man is evaluated for shortness of breath and a dry cough. The patient has never had similar symptoms before and does not take any medications. He has a 5-pack-year smoking history and does not drink or use illegal drugs. The patient is a pig farmer from Ohio who has not traveled in a long time. The temperature is 37.8 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), the blood pressure is 128/85 mm Hg, the pulse rate is 95 beats per minute, and the respirations rate is 16 beats per minute. Auscultation of the lungs reveals scattered wheezing and crackles. The image below depicts a peripheral blood smear.  The nucleated cells seen on this patient's peripheral smear most likely perform which of the following functions?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Eosinophils have bilobed nuclei and numerous eosinophilic granules in the cytoplasm and play an important role in allergic disease and parasitic infection defense. The eosinophilic granules are primarily composed of major basic protein, which functions as an antihelminthic toxin. Major basic protein also causes epithelial and endothelial cell damage and is a major cause of chronic lung damage in asthmatic patients.

For One Week, a 48-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated for Shortness