Inflammation

Question 1

What is inflammation?

Answer 1

the first line of defense in response to cell injury
* Response is the same regardless of the nature of the agent of the cell injury (chemical-cleaning products, ischemic, infectious, physical)
*Inflammation response depends on the degree of damage
*Includes cellular and vascular responses

Question 2

What are the localized clinical manifestations of inflammation?

Answer 2

• Redness
• Warmth
• Swelling
• Pain
• Loss of function

Question 3

What is the Vascular phase?

Answer 3

the first stage of inflammation: induced vasodilatory response, increased blood flow to the area causing warmth and redness.
- Swelling caused by permeability by an increase in gap between endothelial cells, allowing plasma to move to interstitial fluid
-Swelling causes pressure stimulating nociceptors leading to feeling pain.

Question 4

What are the 3 main cascades used in inflammatory response?

Answer 4

• Complement system
• Clotting cascade
• Kinn-kallikrein system

Question 5

What is the complement system?

Answer 5

A system of 10 different proteins forms 9 components** triggered by plasma proteins, substances released from invading cells or anti-gen anti-body complexes

Can form inflammatory activators called opsonins which coat bacterial surfaces for phagocytosis
Act as chemotactic agents that induce white blood cell migration to the injury site
Induce vascular phase of inflammation
Cause the release of histamine from mast cells
Cause cells to burst and die by creating membrane pores on cells

Question 6

What is the clotting cascade

Answer 6

-Activated by proteolytic enzymes, collagen or bacterial toxins to form fibrin meshwork boundary around the site of injury which helps to trap the injury-causing agent, concentrate the attack in this area, and prevent the spread of damage through the tissue

Question 7

What is the Kinin-kallikrein system?

Answer 7

Functions to activate and assist inflammatory cells
Causes - pain, smooth muscle contraction & vascular permeability

The primary activator is the clotting factor XII which is made in the coagulation process – leading to the production of kallikrein (protease which also activates blood clotting).
-System also produces a group of important chemical mediators (kinins)
-Most common is bradykinin (vasodilation, increased vascular permeability, chemotaxis(chemical signals to other cells))

Question 8

What is the cellular phase?

Answer 8

the phase when WBCs are signaled to attend the scene via chemical mediators and have the ability to move through larger gaps in the capillary wall (which was induced by vascular responses)

Question 9

Job of hagocytes in inflammation

Answer 9

directly neutralize injurious agents and recruit other immune cells (lymphocytes)

Question 10

Job of Neutrophils in inflammation

Answer 10

are the first to respond to the scene followed by macrophages

Question 11

Job of Macrophages in inflammation

Answer 11

remain activated for long periods
phagocytes release pyrogens trying to make the body an inhospitable environment for unwelcome bacteria