Inflammation Flashcards
What are the key signs of inflammation
Calor -heat - increased blood flow Rubor - redness - increased blood flow tumor -swelling Dolor - pain - white cells functio laesa (loss of function)
What is meant by inflammation?
complex reaction in viable vascularised tissues to sublethal cellular injury
What is the general function of inflammation?
Protective response geared towards removing the cause and consequences of the injury
sets stage for potential healing
Outline the general key players in inflammation
Tightly regulated process consisting mainly of leukocyte and vascular responses
Triggered by various cell types and soluble mediators
Which cells are involved in inflammation?
Neutrophils Macrophages Lymphocytes Eosinophils Mast cells
Which mediators are involved in inflammation?
Antibodies
Cytokines
Complement system
Coagulation system
What is acute inflammation?
Rapid non-specific response to cellular injury
Orchestrated by mediators released from injured cells
Leukocyte and vascular response
What is the key aim of acute inflammation and what are the three ways this is achieved?
Rapid delivery of leukocytes and plasma proteins to the site of injury
- Achieved by alteration in the calibre of blood vessels to increase vasodilation
- Structural changes to the microvasculature to allow proteins and leukocytes to leave the circulation (increased vascular permeability)
- Emigration, accumulation and activation of leukocytes at the focus of injury
What are the three basic steps to acute inflammation.
Sublethal injury
Immune cell recruitment
Resolution of acute inflammation
Describe what happens when a sublethal injury occurs
- Inflammatory signals: non-apoptopic cell death
detection of foriegn material - Vasodilators released: histamine and NO
- Vascular changes: Increased permeability, dilation, reduced flow and plasma leakage
How is vascular permeability increased?
Endothelial cells contract: increased interendothelial spacing
Immediate transient response - natural
Histamine and nitric oxide causing cells to contract
Damage to endothelial cells
Why is increased vascular permeability useful?
Rapid movement of antibodies into the site due to slowed blood flow
Recruitment of proteins into tissue increasing activation of immune cells and a source of protein for tissue repair - increased bioavailabilty of substances
Leukocytes form a physical barrier
Leukocyte migration
What is exudate?
The fluid that leaks from the vasculature in acute inflammation (includes fluid, proteins and cells)
What is the purpose of exudate?
Dilute pathogens
Walls off pathogens by separating inflamed tissue from healthy tissue preventing the spread of pathogens
Permits spread of soluble inflammatory mediators to site of injury
Describe the structure of the steady state of skin
Thick epithelial layer, followed by an interstitial layer between epithelial cells and vasculature which is full of immune cells (mast cells and macrophages)
- vasculature contains white blood cells
How can increased permeability be dangerous?
Loss of fluid from blood, reduces volume of blood
particularly dangerous in severe burns where there is a large inflamed area
Which immune cells are important in the initial phase of immune cell recruitment?
Those capable of phagocytosis
predominantly neutrophils but also macrophages
Describe how the immune cells are recruited.
Chemokines produced by activated macrophages at the site of inflammation or help me signals from injured cells called DAMPS, these will diffuse out to form a gradient
Leukocytes ie neutrophils expressing complementary receptors will be attracted and thus migrate to the chemokine source.