cell injury and death Flashcards
what are the cellular adaptive responses to stress and injury?
–Atrophy
–Hypertrophy
–Hyperplasia
–Metaplasia
what is the difference between hypertrophy and hyperplasia
hypertrophy is increase in cell size vs hyperplasia is an increase in cell number
2 ways of irreversible cell injury (cell death)?
necrosis and apoptosis
define the atrophy
Decrease in size or number of cells due to loss of cell substance (resulting in a decrease in the size of the organ)
atrophy can be both physiologic and pathologic. True/False
True.
give examples of atrophy
–Decreased workload (atrophy of disuse)
–Loss of innervation
–Diminished blood supply
–Inadequate nutrition (cachexia)
–Loss of endocrine stimulation
–Aging
–Fetal development (atrophy of thyroglossal duct)
–Senile atrophy: due to the physiological aging of cells
Affects all organs; includes the formation of lipofuscin deposits (especially in the heart and liver), which are formed by oxidation and polymerization of lysosomal contents.
define hypertrophy
Increase in the size of cells (resulting in an increase in the size of the organ)
what is the mechanism of hypertrophy?
– Involves gene activation protein synthesis and production of organelles
what type of cells undergo hypertrophy?
1) labile
2) stable
3) permanent
permanent
- -Occurs in cells incapable of division
- -No new cells, just larger cells
give examples of physiological vs pathological hypertrophy
1)Physiologic
– A skeletal muscle with exercise
2)Pathologic
– Left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension
define hyperplasia
Increase in the number of cells (and usually the size of the organ)
permanent cells can undergo hyperplasia. True/False
False.
•Occurs in organs capable of cellular division
•Often associated with hypertrophy
give examples of physiologic and pathologic hyperplasia
•Physiologic
– Hormonal (breast/ uterus during pregnancy)
– Compensatory (partial hepatectomy)
•Pathologic
– Excessive hormonal / growth factor (thyroid, endometrial hyperplasia)
hyperplasia is controlled or uncontrolled?
Controlled Process but fertile soil for cancer
define metaplasia
Reversible change in which one adult cell type is replaced by another adult cell type and involve genetic reprogramming of stem cells
metaplasia is reversible or irreversible?
reversible
give examples of metaplasia
1) e.g. cigarette smoking- respiratory epithelium à squamous
2) Barrett’s esophagus- squamous epithelium à intestinal epithelium
metaplasia is a precursor for cancer. True/False
True.
Barrett metaplasia to adenocarcinoma
what are the causes of cellular injury?
• Oxygen deprivation
– Hypoxia- Low oxygen delivery to tissue
– Ischaemia- decrease in blood flow (↓ oxygen and nutrients)
– Shock- decrease in perfusion
• Physical agents (e.g. trauma, thermal injury, radiation)
• Chemical agents (e.g. poisons, environmental pollutants, and drugs)
• Infectious agents
• Immunologic reactions
• Genetic defects
• Nutritional deficiency or excess
give examples of immunologic reactions resulting in cell injury
autoimmune diseases
hypersensitivity reactions
give examples of genetic defects resulting in cell injury
misdirect cell metabolism (e.g., cystic fibrosis (CFTR gene), hemophilia A (Xq28 gene), α1-antitrypsin deficiency)
give examples of nutritional cellular injury
1) Malnutrition
- -Marasmus → decreased intake of calories
- -Kwashiorkor → decreased intake of protein
2) Excess calories: obesity → atherosclerosis → ischemic cell injury
3) Vitamin deficiencies: see the learning card vitamins for more information.
4) Impaired metabolism of glucose or ATP synthesis
cellular response to injury depends on what?
– Type
– Severity
– Duration of injury
consequences to the cell after injury depends on what?
cell
–Type
–State
–Adaptability
what cell structures are most vulnerable to injury?
–Mitochondria (aerobic respiration and ATP-synthesis)
–Cell membrane
–Synthetic apparatus (protein and enzymes)
–Cytoskeleton
–Genetic apparatus (DNA)
mitochondria are stable to injury.True/False
False.
- -increased mitochondrial membrane permeability → cytochrome c release from mitochondria → activates apoptosis
- -Decreased oxidative phosphorylation within mitochondria –↓ ATP
what are the mechanisms by which cells are injured?
- Inhibition of aerobic respiration à ATP depletion
- Generation of oxygen species (free radicals)
- Defects in membrane permeability (membrane damage)
- Disruption of calcium homeostasis (calcium influx)
how free radicals cause cell injury?
Reactive oxygen species cause damage to:
–DNA (via fragmentation)
–Cell membranes: via direct damage and lipid peroxidation → increased permeability
→ ↑ intracellular Ca2+ → activates numerous enzymes causing damage to the cytoskeleton, nuclear chromatin, activates apoptosis
→ leakage of cellular proteins → apoptosis and necrosis
–Mitochondrial membranes: via lipid peroxidation and transition pores → increased permeability
→ cytochrome c escapes from mitochondria and activate caspases → apoptosis
→ increased permeability to small molecules → draw in water → swelling → rupture → apoptosis and necrosis
–Cellular proteins
–Microvessels: microvascular injury → increased permeability of capillaries and arterioles → increased diffusion and fluid filtration → tissue swelling
–Recruit and activate platelets → increase coagulation
–Recruit and activate WBCs → worsen the immune response started by ischemia
–React with DNA and cause mutation
what are the features of reversible cell injury?
reversible cell injury→ results in cellular swelling (e.g., hydropic degeneration), nuclear chromatin clumping, decreased protein sysnthesis
1)Tissue hypoxia → decreased ATP production:
Decreased Na+/K+ ATPase → diffusion of Na+ and water into the cell → ↓ passive Ca2+ efflux and cellular/mitochondrial swelling
Disrupted Ca2+ ATPase pump activity → ↓ active Ca2+ removal from the cytoplasm into the extracellular space → Ca2+ accumulates inside the cell and activates degradative enzymes.
2)Low oxygen and ATP result in anaerobic respiration → ↑ lactate and ↓ intracellular pH → denatures proteins and causes clumping of nuclear chromatin
3)Detachment of ribosomes and polysomes → decreased protein synthesis
how activation of cellular enzymes result in cell injury?
–ATPase à decreased ATP
–Phospholipase à decreased phospholipids
–Endonuclease à nuclear chromatin damage
–Protease à disruption of the membrane and cytoskeletal proteins
what are the features of irreversible cell injury?
1)Mitochondrial changes
2)Extensive plasma membrane damage
3)Injury to lysosomal membranes
–Activation of enzymesà degrades the damaged cells
–Release of enzymes à damage to the surrounding cells
mechanism: degradation of phospholipids in the plasma membrane → rupture of the cell membrane → release of cytosolic enzymes into the serum and influx of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm → activation of lysosomal enzymes and protease (e.g., calpain) → ↑ breakdown of cellular proteins and damage cytoskeleton → autolysis
Rupture of lysosomes and release of lysosomal enzymes → autolysis
Increased mitochondrial membrane permeability → cytochrome c release from mitochondria → activates apoptosis
what are the nuclear changes seen with irreversible cell injury?
1) Pyknosis: shrinkage of the nucleus due to chromatin condensation
2) Karyorrhexis: fragmentation of the nucleus (mediated by endonucleases)
3) Karyolysis: disintegration or dissolution of the nucleus))
what are free radicals?
Extremely unstable, highly reactive chemical species with a single unpaired electron in the outer orbit
give examples of free radicals
– Superoxide O2.-
– Hydrogen peroxide H2O2
– Hydroxyl ion OH.
how activated oxygen species are produced?
–Physiologic generation during oxidative phosphorylation –Radiation –Inflammation –Oxygen toxicity –Chemicals and drugs (Paracetamol) –Metals (copper and iron) –Reperfusion injury
overdose with what medication result in extensive production of ROS and liver injury?
paracetamol (acetaminophen)
what hereditary diseases result in extensive production of ROS and damage to the liver?
Hemochromatosis (iron accumulation) and Wilson disease (copper accumulation)
why reperfusion after myocardial infarction results in cell injury?
Oxygen is reintroduced to the previously ischemic tissue (oxygen toxicity) → activated endothelial cells and leukocytes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS)
what are the protective mechanisms against ROS
– Unstable with spontaneous decay
– Inactivation by enzymes
– Antioxidants (vitamin E, C)
what are the morphologic changes seen with reversible cell injury?
1)Cellular swelling (hydropic change, vacuolar degeneration)
2)Ultrastructural changes
– Plasma membrane alteration-blebbing
– Loss of microvilli
– Mitochondrial swelling
– Dilation of endoplasmic reticulum with the detachment of ribosomes
– Nuclear alterations
why cell swell in response to reversible injury?
Tissue hypoxia → decreased ATP production:
Decreased Na+/K+ ATPase → diffusion of Na+ and water into the cell → ↓ passive Ca2+ efflux and cellular/mitochondrial swelling
Na+/K+ ATPase pump functions to keep Na+ and water outside the cell and K+ inside the cell. When impaired, Na+ and water diffuse inside the cell leading to cellular swelling. Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, located on the plasma membrane, uses the chemical energy of the Na+ gradient to pump out Ca2+ ions out of the cytosol. When there are fewer Na+ ions outside the cell, more Ca2+ ions remain inside the cell.