acute + chronic inflammation Flashcards
acute inflammation:
a series of protective changes occurring in living tissue as a response to injury.
- it is a dynamic homeostatic mechanism
- done by higher organisms
inflammation cardinal signs:
rubor - redness
calor - heat
tumor - swelling
dolor - pain
- loss of function
6 causes of acute inflammation:
Micro-organisms → bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites
Mechanical → trauma & injury to tissue
Chemical → upset stable environment
* acid or alkaline
Physical → extreme condition
* heat - sunburn
* cold - frostbite
Dead tissue
* cell necrosis irritates adjacent tissue
hypersensitivity
acute inflammation process:
- Series of microscopic events
- Localised to affected tissue
- Takes place in the microcirculation
- Results the cardinal signs
microcirculation
circulation of blood in the smallest blood vessels, capillary beds, fed by arterioles and drained by venules.
includes the extracellular space with its content and the lymphatic channels.
starling forces:
forces that control the flow of fluid between the capillaries and the interstitial fluid
dynamic balance between hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressures
Steps of pathogenesis in acute inflammation: (how it happens):
1- blood vessel radius changes - alteration of flow
2- Change in the permeability of the vessel wall - exudation
(movement of fluid and protein from vessel to extravascular space)
3- Movement of neutrophils from the vessel to the extravascular space.
Local changes in vessel radius and blood flow when acute inflammation starts:
- Transient arteriolar constriction → few moments, probably protective
- Local arteriolar dilation → (active hyperaemia)
- Relaxation of vessel smooth muscle → (ANS or mediator derived)
Triple Response → flush, flare, wheal
→ shows how quickly we respond to injury
Why does increased radius of the blood vessel (vasodilation) increase flow?
Poiseuille’s law
Q = ΔP x Pr4 / 8hL
(Q fluid flux, ΔP pressure gradient, r radius, h viscosity, L length)
flow is proportional to radius to the power of four
- Increased arteriolar radius causes increased local tissue blood flow
- Results in observed redness and heat
How does increased permeability occur in acute inflammation?
it is a localised vascular response
happens in the microvascular bed
- produced by chemical mediators.
leads to an endothelial leak
depending on the size of the holes/pores you get fluid and more protein leakage.
example of imbalance of Starling forces.
effects of increased permeability in capillaries:
[1] Exudation → the net movement of plasma from capillaries to extravascular space.
Leakage of:
- Fluid rich in protein
- Plasma (immunoglobulin and fibrinogen)
[2] Increased viscosity
→ fluid loss into extravascular space = more concentrated fluid in capillaries with blood cells and plasma proteins
causes a slow rate of flow - stasis
Poiseuille’s law
swelling of tissue due to acute inflammation:
1- Vascular/Endothelial leak (imbalance of Starling forces)
2- Change in pressure (hydrostatic & colloid osmotic)
3- Movement of fluid across the membrane into extravascular space (Exudation)
Oedema due to exudation
- it is an accumulation of fluid in the extravascular space.
tissue swelling in acute inflammation
(causes pain & reduces function)
difference between normal laminar and inflammatory blood flow:
Normal laminar (non-newtonian fluid)
- from endothelium to center of vessel
→ small to large molecules
Inflammatory blood flow (loss of normal laminar flow)
- from endothelium to center of vessel
→ (large to small molecules)
neutrophil - most important cell
characterisation of inflammatory blood flow:
1- Loss of normal laminar flow
2- rouleaux formation of erythrocytes
→ RBC aggregation in the centre of the lumen
3- neutrophil margination
→ neutrophils in the edge near endothelium
phases of neutrophili emigration:
- Margination
- neutrophils move to endothelial aspect of lumen - Pavementing
- neutrophils adhere to endothelium - Emigration
- neutrophils squeeze between endothelial cells (active process) to extravascular tissues
diapedesis:
passive process
cells e.g. RBC, may follow a neutrophil when
it emigrates (active process) to extravascular tissue.
ideal outcome of acute inflammation:
Inciting agent isolated & destroyed
Macrophages move in from blood and phagocytose debris; then leave
Epithelial surfaces regenerate
Inflammatory exudate filters away
Vascular changes return to normal
Inflammation resolves
benefits of acute inflammation:
- Rapid response to non-specific insult
- Cardinal signs and loss of function → transient protection of inflamed area
- Neutrophils destroy organisms and denature antigens for macrophages
- Plasma proteins localise process → through fibrinogen - clotting
- Return to normal
4 possible outcomes of acute inflammation:
- Resolution → ideal outcome return to normal
- Suppuration → pus formation
- Organisation → tissue repair
- Chronic inflammation → inflammatory stays
suppuration:
Characterized by:
1- pus formation
– dead tissue, organisms, exudate, neutrophils, fibrin, red cells, debris
2- pyogenic membrane around pus
– capillary sprouts, neutrophils, fibroblasts
– walls off pus
empyema and pyaemia:
Empyema is a pus in a hollow viscus.
e.g. gallbladder & pleural cavity
Pyaemia is a pus discharged in the blood stream
abscess:
a collection of pus (suppuration) under pressure.
e.g. pimple
- Single locule or multiloculated
→ points as ‘yellow head’ then discharges → healing and repair of skin
organisation:
Characterized by:
- Granulation tissue
- Healing and repair
- fibrosis and formation of a scar
granulation:
Granulation tissue is the body’s repair kit for all damage, it is new connective tissue and microscopic blood vessels that form on the surfaces of a wound during the healing process
Formed of:
– new capillaries → angiogenesis
– fibroblasts and collagen
– macrophages
neutrophils:
mobile phagocytes
– recognise foreign antigen
– chemotaxis: move towards chemical, gets widely expressed
(sniffs it out like a dog)
– adhere to organism and start phagocytosis
- Granules possess oxidants (e.g. H2O2) and enzymes (e.g. proteases)
- Release granule contents
- Phagocytose & destroy foreign antigen
consequences of neutrophile action:
- theydie when granule content is released
- produce fluid with bits of cell, organisms, endogenous protein [pus]
- Might extend to other tissues and progress inflammation