Final answer:
2) C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation, aiding in the immune response through the process of opsonization.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the serum proteins increased during an inflammatory response is the 2) C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is considered an acute-phase protein and plays a key role in the body's innate immune response.
This protein is synthesized by the liver in response to factors released by macrophages and fat cells.
It binds to certain substances produced by microbes and damaged cells of the host, thereby aiding in their detection and removal by the immune system through a process known as opsonization.
Opsonization enhances the efficacy of phagocytosis, where harmful pathogens are engulfed and destroyed by phagocytes like macrophages and neutrophils, contributing to the body's inflammatory response in combating infection.