Inflammation Flashcards
List the common causes of acute inflammation
Infection due to:
• bacteria: exotoxins & endotoxins, enzymes
• viruses: intracellular replication causing cell damage
• parasites
Trauma
Physical & chemical agents
Tissue necrosis (death of part of tissue) • Usually occurs due to lack of blood supply
Foreign bodies:
• splinters, dirt, sutures
Immune reactions (hypersensitivity
•Describe the clinical features of acute inflammation
Red
Hot
Swollen
Pain
Loss of function
•List and explain the main features of the acute inflammatory
response
Arterioles vasoconstrict - area becomes white (Local axon reflex)
arteriolar, capillary and venule dilation allows all the immune cells and chemical mediators to arrive- area becomes red and warm (Histamine,
serotonin, nitric
oxide,
prostaglandins)
Increased vascular permeability - causes swelling due to oedema (Histamine, C3a &
C5a, leukotrienes) (increases in spaces between endothelial cells so white cell can get to the tissues in emigration - which causes swelling)
vascular stasis - loss of fluid due to decreases in blood concentration as everything is in the tissues now, slows the blood flow
What 3 functions does inflammation have?
- Protective
• Destroy, wall off or dilute injurious agent
• Initiate repair
What are the differences in acute and chronic inflammation?
Acute • Onset: immediate • Short lived • Usually single episode • Neutrophils and other granulocytes
Chronic • Gradual onset • Prolonged • Frustrated healing • Macrophages and lymphocytes
what are some examples of acute inflammation in the oral cavity?
- Abscess
- Acute pulpitis - response to bacteria
- Lacerations
- Acute herpetic gingivostomatitis - caused by Herpes simplex virus
- Parotitis - bacterial infection due to parotid gland stones
- Reactions to piercings
What does increased vascular permeability occur as a result of? (3 things)
- Retraction of endothelial cells.
- Endothelial injury
- Increased transport of fluid and proteins through
endothelial cells, known as transcytosis.
What type of fluid is seen in oedema of inflammation?
Exudate: Extravascular fluid with a high protein
content. This is what we see in inflammation
What is transudate?
Extravascular fluid with low protein content - increase in pressure of vessel but no spaces between endothelial cells , can’t get white blood cells out but fluid gets out
What is the role of oedema (excess fluid in the tissues) in acute inflammation?
- contains complement - proteins (membrane receptors) found in the plasma - normally inactivated, when activated form pathway, each protein turns into enzyme and amplifies itself down the pathway - enzyme cascade
- protylysis of c3 important - may contain antibodies which act as an opsonin and aids phagocytosis as the white cells have a receptor which can bind to that antibody
- contains clotting cascade - fibrin forms a barrier to spread of infection (fibrinogen
converted to fibrin by thrombin).
• Coagulation may also promote inflammation - Contains Kininogens: these are converted to kinins by
proteases (e.g.thrombin). Bradykinin- similar effect to
histamine (vasodilation) - Dilutes bacterial & other toxins
Which molecule is a key molecule in vasodilation and how is it stimulated?
trauma, complements and cytokines act on mast cells which release histamine - key molecule in vasodilation
also serotonin and nitric oxide
What is transcytosis?
Increased transport of fluid and proteins through
endothelial cells
What are the 3 pathways of complements linked to oedema?
Classical pathway - c1 activated by normal antibodies binding to antigen
alternative pathway
- pathogen produces LPS that activated c1
Lectin pathway - Lectin activates c1
What is the membrane attack complex?
series of c5-c9 proteins that punch holes in cells
MAC forms transmembrane channels. These disrupt the phospholipid bilayer = cell lysis and death
What does c3a stimulate?
Dilation and increased vascular permeability
What does c3a and c5a stimulate?
Stimulate histamine release
promotes formation of leukotrienes (attracts neutrophils) and prostaglandins (vasodilation)
attracts phagocytes - neutrophils