Inflammation Flashcards
define inflammation
coordinated vascular and cellular response of the body to cell injury and cell death
how is inflammation important?
has both protective (immune) and curative features
responsible for the removal of the injurious agent and cellular debris
initiates the healing process
T/F: without inflammation we cannot heal or have normal immune function
TRUE
List some factors that can lead to inflammation
- infection
- trauma/damaged tissue
- tissue necrosis
- presence of foreign bodies
- immune reactions
- ischemia
- cancer
- chemicals
- physical agents (heat/cold, radiation)
what are the goals of inflammation?
- inactivate injurious agents
- break down and remove dead cells and other cellular debris
- initate tissue healing
List the key components of inflammation
- blood vessels
- circulating blood cells
- CT or interstitial tissue cells
- chemical mediators derived from inflammatory cells or plasma cells
- specific ECM constituents (collagen and basement membranes)
what are the cardinal signs of inflammation?
- erythema
- heat
- edema
- pain
- loss of function
what are the events of an inflammatory reaction?
- vascular events
- vasodilation
- increased vascular permeability
what induces vasodilation during an inflammatory response?
histamine release from platelets and mast cells causing smooth muscle relaxation
explains heat and redness at site of injury
why is increased vascular permeability a key step in the inflammatory process?
allows for the passage of exudates (protein cell rich fluid) into the interstitial space
results in accumulation of blood in the area of dilation
allow for accumulation of platelets and neutrophils at site of injury
what WBCs respond during inflammation? Which one is the most important?
- neutrophils (most important)
- monocytes/monophages
- eosinophils
- basophils
- lymphocytes
- Mast cells
- langerhan cells
what is chemotaxis?
signaling molecules that tell WBCs to stop at the injury site
include:
- interleukin-8 (IL-8)
- C5a
- fMLP
- Leukotriene B4
what is diapedesis?
migration of WBCs through the endothelial lining of blood vessels
where are neutrophils the predominant cell?
predominant cell in pus
predominant leukocyte in area of injury for ~24 hrs
what is the role of monocytes in actue inflammation?
in response to inflammation signals, move to site of tissue injury and differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells
what is the role of macrophages in acute inflammation?
these are a type of WBC that engulf and digest cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells
when they arrive, actue inflammation will stop shortly after