Cellular Basis of Disease Flashcards
Define “risk factor”
Something which confers an increased risk of developing disease
Define “predisposition”
Increased susceptibility to developing a disease - usually inherited
Define “pathogenesis”
Pathological mechanism resulting in clinical disease
Define “aetiology”
The cause of a disease
Define “dysplasia”
Abnormal cytological appearance and tissue architecture
Define “metaplasia”
Conversion of one type of differentiated tissue to another
What is the difference between metaplasia and transdifferentiation?
Metaplasia occurs at tissue level, whereas transdifferentiation is one cell type converting into another
Define “benign”
Uncontrolled focal proliferation of well differentiated cells
How can “coagulative necrosis” be identified microscopically?
Cell outlines are retained, however the cytoplasmic / nuclear details are lost.
How is coagulative necrosis usually caused? Give examples of organs commonly affected by coagulative necrosis
Caused by sudden ischaemia, can be visualised in heart, kidney or spleen
What is the most common type of necrosis?
Coagulative
How can “liquefactive necrosis” be identified microscopically?
Loss of tissue architecture / structure, appears homogenous
In what organs can liquefactive necrosis identified?
In cerebral infarction
What type of necrosis is visualised in a TB granuloma?
Caseating necrosis
How can “caseating necrosis” be identified?
Cheese-like, core of granuloma of inflammatory cells not digested completely
Define “hyperplasia”
An increase in cell number
Define “hypertrophy”
An increase in cell size
Acidic dyes react to what cellular components?
Cationic / basic components i.e. proteins
Basic dyes react to which cellular components?
Anionic / acidic components i.e. nucleic acids, extracellular material
In H&E stain, which is the acidic and which is the basic component?
Haematoxylin: Basic
Eosin: Acidic
What does Haematoxylin stain and which colour?
Stains nucleic acids purplish blue
What does Eosin stain and which colour?
Stains cytoplasm pink
Are benign structures slow or fast growing?
Slow growing
Compare the appearance of tumour edges in both Benign and Malignant structures
Benign: Smooth due to expansile growth, may be encapsulated
Malignant: Irregular, due to infiltrative growth
