What is a respiratory burst?

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Multiple Choice

What is a respiratory burst?

A respiratory burst is the rapid surge in metabolism and oxygen use by phagocytes, especially neutrophils, after they have engulfed a bacterium. This metabolic spike powers the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex to transfer electrons to oxygen, producing reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and hypochlorous acid that kill the ingested microbe. That’s why the best description is an increase in the neutrophil’s metabolic rate after engulfing a bacterium—the cell ramps up energy use to generate the toxic ROS needed for microbial killing. The other options don’t fit: a decrease in metabolic rate contradicts the burst; signaling in erythrocytes isn’t part of this process; and cytokine release by T cells is a separate immune function.

A respiratory burst is the rapid surge in metabolism and oxygen use by phagocytes, especially neutrophils, after they have engulfed a bacterium. This metabolic spike powers the NADPH oxidase enzyme complex to transfer electrons to oxygen, producing reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and hypochlorous acid that kill the ingested microbe. That’s why the best description is an increase in the neutrophil’s metabolic rate after engulfing a bacterium—the cell ramps up energy use to generate the toxic ROS needed for microbial killing. The other options don’t fit: a decrease in metabolic rate contradicts the burst; signaling in erythrocytes isn’t part of this process; and cytokine release by T cells is a separate immune function.

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