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Prickles on a blackberry branch. In plant morphology, thorns, spines, and prickles, and in general spinose structures (sometimes called spinose teeth or spinose apical processes), are hard, rigid extensions or modifications of leaves, roots, stems, or buds with sharp, stiff ends, and generally serve the same function: physically defending plants against herbivory.
Inflammation in these spots can cause cells to die or damage tissues or nerves, research shows. The bottom line is, dry eyes are more than just annoying. The bottom line is, dry eyes are more than ...
Neuroinflammation is widely regarded as chronic, as opposed to acute, inflammation of the central nervous system. [5] Acute inflammation usually follows injury to the central nervous system immediately, and is characterized by inflammatory molecules, endothelial cell activation, platelet deposition, and tissue edema. [6]
However, neuropathies may be due to either inflammatory [6] or non-inflammatory causes, [7] and the term encompasses any form of damage, degeneration, or dysfunction, while neuritis refers specifically to the inflammatory process. As inflammation is a common reaction to biological insult, many conditions may present with features of neuritis.
The spines are the relatively large, radiating organs; the glochids are the fine prickles in the centres of the bunches. Glochids (Opuntia microdasys monstrose) Glochids or glochidia (sg.: "glochidium") are hair-like spines or short prickles, generally barbed, found on the areoles of cacti in the sub-family Opuntioideae.
A plant's leaves and stem may be covered with sharp prickles, spines, thorns or trichomes- hairs on the leaf often with barbs, sometimes containing irritants or poisons. Plant structural features such as spines, thorns and awns reduce feeding by large ungulate herbivores (e.g. kudu , impala , and goats ) by restricting the herbivores' feeding ...
In many cases, spines are a defense mechanism that help protect the animal against potential predators. Because spines are sharp, they can puncture skin and inflict pain and damage which may cause the predator to avoid that species from that point on. The spine of some animals are capable of injecting venom. In the case of some large species of ...
Prickles and thorns are an evolved defense against herbivores — animals that eat plants — and can also aid in growth, plant competition and water retention, according to the study.