Cell Death & Necrosis Flashcards
Is cell degeneration reversible or irreversible cell injury?
Reversible
Is cell necrosis reversible or irreversible cell injury?
Irreversible - too far gone
What is nearly all cell damage mediated by?
Damaged membranes or enzyme systems
What can be seen under the microscope with cell death/ degeneration?
Changes in individual cells and groups of cells
What can clinical biochemistry detect with damaged/ dead cells?
Leaked intracellular substances in body fluids - Often Enzymes
What is the underlying mechanism for cell injury?
Disruption of the Na+/K+ active membrane pump - Na+ can then move into the cell - Water follows Na+ - Cell appears to swell
What is severe cell swelling?
When the whole cell and organelles swell and are damaged - this means cellular function is impaired because the organelles no longer work as well/ at all
How can membrane damage be self- perpetuating?
- Intracellular Ca2+ from the cytoplasm and the organelles leaks out and activates phospholipases – lyse membrane phospholipids - Cytoskeleton damage - Free radical damage - Broken down membrane fragments have a detergent effect and stop other membranes from working properly
What are some of the causes for cell damage?
- Physical trauma - Hypoxia - Free radical damage - Immune reactions - Genetic Defects - Nutrition - Microbiological agents - Aging
Describe Hypoxia in terms of cell damage…
- Lack of O2 - Mediated by decreased ATP production - Caused by: – respiratory disease – Anaemia – Damage to RBCs – CO poisoning – Haemorrhage – Trauma – Cardiac Dysfunction – Constriction – Thrombosis
What are free radicals?
A single unpaired electron in an outer shell - Highly reactive - Very unstable - Autocatalytic - start off with one and it makes heaps Involved in cell injury, aging anf macrophage killing
How are free radicals formed?
- Action of radiant energy - Normal cellular reactions - Inflammation - Enzyme metabolism of certain chemicals - Reperfusion injury (hypoxic tisse gets blood flow back = lots of FRs) - Also from O2, N, C - catalysed by Fe2+
What are the most common free radicals?
Oxygen derived free radicals
What are the consequences of free radicals?
- Lipid degradation of membranes by oxidation of unsat Fatty Acids - Damage to cell proteins - Breaks in DNA strands - Damage to mitochondria Can damage cells at every level!
What are some protective mechanisms against free radicals?
- Natural decay of free radicals - Anti-oxidants - Enzymatic inactivation
What changes the morphologic appearance of cell degeneration?
- Swelling and Eosinophilia - Fatty Change
Describe cell swelling?
- Cytoplasm appears swollen, cloudy, granular or vacuolated - Reversible - Increased cell size may affect organ function
Describe Eosinophilia…
One morphological appearance of cell degeneration - Cells stain pinker - Ribosomes appear blue
Describe Fatty Change?
One morphologic appearance of cell degeneration - a.k.a. lipidosis, fatty degeneration, steatosis, fatty infiltration - Increased amounts of TAGs in cells - Normal in some tissues - Liver most often affected
Why is the liver most often affected by Fatty Change?
Because it is the main organ involved in fat metabolism - fat arrives from the diet and from adipose tissue
What is the pathogenesis of fatty liver?
- Increased energy demand by foetuses in late pregnancy combined with decreased ewe intake caused by stressors or compression of digestive organs by uterus = Negative energy balance 2. HYPOGLYCAEMIA 3. Secretion of glucocorticoids by adrenal glands + mobilisation of fat stores 4. OAA build up in blood - no ACoA due to previous hypoglycaemia 5. OAA used as substrate for ketone body formation = KETONAEMIA and KETONURIA 6. Increased deposition of TAGs into liver that can’t be oxidised = FATTY LIVER - FFA’s released from Adipose are transported to liver - re-esterified to TAGs - oxidised to ACoA - ACoA into TCA cycle to produce energy or ketone bodies
What happens to the TAGs sent to the liver in mobilisation of adipose?
- Stored as TAGs - Oxidised to Acetyl- CoA - Used to make membranes, Steroid hormones - Exported in bloodstream stuck to lipids as VLDL
How does fat accumulate in the liver?
When more is entering than being removed - Increased dietary intake of fat OR moderate body fat supplies and decreased intake - Decreased metabolism of fat in the liver OR decreased transport of liver due to decreased apoproteins
What is the underlying mechanism of fatty liver disease?
Decreased mitochondria
If there is decreased apoproteins in the liver what does this indicate?
Protein malnutrition - apoproteins are made from AAs that come from the diet
What histology preparations should be used to dissolve fat out of cells?
Frozen sections OR Special Stains (Sudan, Oil red O)
What happens to the globules of fat in chronic fatty liver?
They start to coalesce to make big clear vacuoles of fat
Describe the gross appearance of a liver affected by fatty liver…
- Pale - Friable - Greasy - Bulging - Floats