Cellular morphology Flashcards
What are the four types of ultrastructural changes of reversible cell injury?
- Plasma membrane alterations
- mitochondrial changes
- dilation of the ER
- nuclear alterations.
What are the structural changes seen in irreversible cell damage?
- Increased eosinophilic in H&E stains due to loss of cytoplasmic RNA 2. Glossy homogenous appearance due to loss of glycogen 3. large vacuolated cytoplasm = myelin figures 4. Nuclear changes: karyorrhexis, karyolysis, pyknosis
What are the three mechanisms by which calcium can cause cellular damage?
- The accumulation of Ca in mitochondria results in opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and failure of ATP generation. 2. Increased cytosolic Ca2+ activates a number of enzymes with potentially deleterious effects on cells. These enzymes include phospholipases (which cause membrane damage), proteases (which break down both membrane and cytoskeletal proteins), endonucleases (which are responsible for DNA and chromatin fragmentation), and ATPases (thereby hastening ATP depletion). 3. Increased intracellular Ca2+ levels also result in the induction of apoptosis, by direct activation of caspases and by increasing mitochondrial permeability.
What is the definition of an infarct?
A localized area of coagulative necrosis.
What type of necrosis is usually paired with gangrene necrosis?
Coagulative necrosis
What is the difference between wet and dry gangrene?
Wet gangrene includes a bacterial infection that occurs with more liquefactive necrosis.
Describe the major characteristics of coagulative necrosis. Also include histologic changes.
Coagulative necrosis: - tissue maintains structure; firm - eosinophilic and enucleate - no proteolysis because the injury has destroyed enzymes and proteins - cells removed by phagocytosis EX: ischemia due to blood vessel obstruction
Describe the major characteristics of liquefactive necrosis:
- ENZYMATIC DIGESTION of dead cells - due to bacterial or fungal infections where enzymes are released from leukocytes - necrotic material is called pus EX: bacterial infection (abscess formation), brain infarcts
Describe the major characteristics of caseous necrosis:
- cheese like appearance - microscopically looks like a collection of necrotic cells and debris surrounded by activated macrophages - has relation to granulomatous inflammation EX: tuberculosis infection
Describe the major characteristics of fibrinoid necrosis:
- Injury to blood vessels - deposition of immune complexes in blood vessel - fibrinoid is formed from combination of immune complexes and fibrin EX: immune reactions
Describe the major characteristics of fat necrosis:
- no specific pattern of necrosis - forms calcium soaps (fat saponification) - appears white and chalky EX: acute pancreatitis from release of lipases
What is dystrophic calcification?
If necrotic cells and cellular debris are not promptly destroyed and reab- sorbed, they provide a nidus for the deposition of calcium salts and other minerals and thus tend to become calcified. This phenomenon, called dystrophic calcification.
Describe the pathology of cystic fibrosis:
- mutation in CTFR (Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene (misfolded protein); defect in CTFR, a Cl- transporter - May cause emphysema: * defect in a1-antitrypsin gene = poorly folded AAT proteins = accumulation of AAT in ER of the lungs = emphysema - Impaired dissociation of the CTFR protein from chaperones causes many cases of cystic fibrosis. Emphysema (a component of COPD) is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are damaged. Over time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture — creating larger air spaces instead of many small ones. This reduces the surface area of the lungs and, in turn, the amount of oxygen that reaches your bloodstream. Most people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the tubes that carry air to your lungs (bronchial tubes), which leads to a persistent cough.
Describe the pathology of Familial hypercholesterolemia:
- mutation in LDL receptor (misfolded protein) = hypercholesterolemia
Describe the pathology of Tay-Sachs:
- mutation of hexosaminidase b subunit (protein misfolding) = accumulation of GM2 gangliosides in the lysosomes of neurons
Describe the pathogenesis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency:
(misfolded protein) Storage of nonfunctional protein in hepatocytes causes apoptosis; absence of enzymatic activity in lungs causes destruction of elastic tissue giving rise to emphysema.
Describe the pathogenesis of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
Abnormal folding of prions causes neuronal cell death
Describe the pathogenesis of Alzheimers:
Abnormal folding of Ab peptides causes aggregation within neurons and apoptosis
What is the fundamental cause of necrotic cell death?
Decrease in ATP
What is the difference in ATP generation between the anaerobic and aerobic pathways?
Aerobic- 30 ATP Anaerobic- 2 ATP
A reduction in ATP of what percentage is required for damage from a lack of ATP to occur?
5-10%
Due to a lack of ATP, decreased activity of the Na/K pump will result in…
Cell swelling, ER dilation (> ribosome dissociation and decrease in protein synthesis)
Due to a lack of ATP, decreased activity of the Ca2+ pump will result in…
influx of calcium causing damaging effects through the activation of enzymes
Activation of enzymes and the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores is due to what factor?
A lack of ATP which disrupts Ca2+ channels, causing an influx of cytoplasmic calcium (first from intracellular stores, then from extracellular compartment)
What ion(s) flow through the mitochondrial permeability transition pores?
Hydrogen ions, which will decrease ATP
How does formation of a mitochondrial permeability transition pore lead to the development of cell necrosis?
The PTP allows for the release of hydrogen ions from the mitochondria. H+ is required by ATP synthase to convert ADP to ATP. Thus, a loss of H+ = a loss of ATP = cell necrosis