Cell pathology

Question 1

Give examples of reversible and irreversible cell injury

Answer 1

Fatty change and cellular swelling

Necrosis and apoptosis

Question 2

Describe apoptosis

Answer 2

Programmed cell death of single cells
Active and energy dependent
Physiological

Question 3

Describe necrosis and give 4 types

Answer 3

Confluent cell death associated with inflammation
coagulative - substance
liquefactive - tissue breakdwon
caseous - granulamatomous 
fat - fat breakdown

Question 4

Define ulcer

Answer 4

local defect or excavation of the surface of an organ or tissue produced by sloughing necrotic inflammatory tissue

Question 5

Define degenerative

Answer 5

change of a tissue to a lower or less functionally active form

Question 6

Define sub-lethal injury

Answer 6

An injury that does not kill the cell/organism

Question 7

Describe Helicobacter pylori

Answer 7

Gram -ve
20% of adults in developed countries
80% asymptomatic
associated with lymphoma

Question 8

List the stages of H. Pylori infection leading to cancer

Answer 8

infection
Inflammation
Metaplasia and atrophy
Adenocarcinoma

Question 9

What are the 3 things atheroma can lead to

Answer 9

Slow occlusion of the artery
Weakening of the artery wall
Sudden occlusion of artery

Question 10

What can slow occlusion of arteries lead to

Answer 10

Angina
Claudication
Vascular dementia

Question 11

What can sudden occlusion of the artery lead to

Answer 11

Thrombosis e.g. MI

Embolism e.g. stroke

Question 12

What can weakening of the artery wall lead to

Answer 12

Aneurysms

Question 13

Define tumour

Answer 13

Mass forming lesion e.g. neoplastic, hamartomatous, inflammatory

Question 14

Define neoplasm

Answer 14

Autonomous growth of tissue which have escaped normal constraints

Question 15

Define cancer

Answer 15

Malignant neoplasm

Question 16

Define hamartoma

Answer 16

Localised benign overgrowths of one or more mature cells types (architectural)

Question 17

Define heterotopias

Answer 17

Normal tissue being found in parts of the body where they are not usually found

Question 18

Define teratoma

Answer 18

Tumours from germ cells

Question 19

Describe the different methods of tumour spread

Answer 19

Direct extension (breast cancer)
Haematogenous (vessels, sarcomas)
Lymphatic (lymph nodes, epithelial cancers)
Transcoelomic (seeding in body cavities, pleural cavities and peritoneal)
Perineural (via nerves)

Question 20

List the types of cell injury

Answer 20

Genetic defects
Infectious agents
Nutritional imbalances
Chemical agents
Hypoxia
Ageing
Physical agents
Immunological reactions

Question 21

Which intracellular mechanisms are vulnerable to injury

Answer 21

Cell membrane integrity
ATP generation
Protein synthesis
Genetic Apparatus

Question 22

Define atrophy and give an example

Answer 22

Decrease in the size of a cell or organ due to cell substance loss e.g. cortisol atrophy in Alzheimer’s

Question 23

Define hypertrophy and give an example

Answer 23

increase in the size of cells leading to an increase in organ size e.g. hypertension leading to left ventricle

Question 24

Define hyperplasia and give an example

Answer 24

Increase in number of cells in an organs e.g oestrogen-induced benign prostatic

Question 25

Define metaplasia and give and example

Answer 25

Reversible change where 1 cell type is converted to another type w.g. Barett’s oesophagus

Question 26

Define dysplasia and give an example

Answer 26

Precancerous cells which show genetic and cytological features of malignancy (no invasion yet) e.g. cervical intraepithelial neoplasia)