Inflammation

Question 1

what are the 4 symptoms of inflammation?

Answer 1

redness - increased blood flow due to inflammatory mediators. swelling - increase in vascular permeability due to vasodilatation. pain - activation of nociceptors. heat - same as redness.

Question 2

what are the main 3 causes of inflammation?

Answer 2

injury, autoimmune reactions, bacterial/fungal/viral infections.

Question 3

how do cells of the immune system detect pathogens?

Answer 3

pattern recognition receptors. recognise PAMPs - pathogen associated molecular patterns which are products of bacteria/fungi/viruses. this activates toll-like receptors

Question 4

toll-like receptors

Answer 4

activation initiates production of pro inflammatory mediators: prostaglandins - PGE2/PGI2 - vasodilatation. histamine causes vasodilatation and vascular permeability
TNF-alpha and IL1 - cytokines that produce other cytokines, increase vascular permeability and expression of cell adhesion molecules.

Question 5

what is the function of leukocytes?

Answer 5

adhere to endothelial cell adhesion molecules, enabling migration out of the vascular system and attack of pathogens

Question 6

synthesis of histamine?

Answer 6

synthesised from histidine by histidine decarboxylase

Question 7

release of histamine?

Answer 7

packaged into acidic granules with macro heparin in basophils and mast cells. released upon increase in calcium. C3a and C5a receptors are Gi coupled. beta gamma subunits activate PLCgamma. SP induces mast cell degranulation via Mrgx2 receptors which are Gq coupled. PLC beta/IP3 mediated Ca.