Intracellular Accumulations and Pathologic Calcification Flashcards
What are the 4 main pathways of abnormal intracellular accumulations? Give examples
- Inadequate removal of a normal substance due to defects in packaging/transport mechs
eg fatty liver - Accumulation of an abnormal endogenous substance due to defects in folding/packaging/transport/secretion
eg alpha1-antitrypsin - Failure to degrade a metabolite due to inherited enzyme deficiencies
eg storage diseases - Deposition and accumulation of an abnormal exogenous substance when the cell has neither the enzymatic machiner to degrade the substance nor the ability to transport it to other sites
eg silicosis and other pneumoconioses
T or F: Only some classes of lipids can accumulate in cells.
False.
All classes of lipids can accumulate in cells: triglycerides, cholesterol/esters, phospholipids.
Additionally, abnormal complexes of lipids and CHOs accumulate in lysosomal storage diseases.
What is steatosis?
Abnormal accumulations of triglycerides within parenchymal cells.
Where is steatosis most commonly seen?
Fatty liver
What other organs can steatosis be seen in?
Heart, muscle, kidney
What are the causes of steatosis?
Toxins Protein malnutrition Anoxia Diabetes mellitus Obesity Alcohol abuse
What are 4 pathologic processes involving cholesterol/ester accumulation?
- Atherosclerosis
- Xanthomas
- Cholesterolosis
- Niemann-Pick disease type C
Describe atherosclerosis.
Smooth muscle cells and macrophages within the intimal layer of the aorta and large arteries are filled with lipid vacuoles.
Smooth muscle cells and macrophges filled with lipid vacuoles are called? Why?
Foam cells, because they have a foamy appearance.
Define atheroma.
Aggregates of foam cells in the intima
Describe xanthomas.
Clusters of foam cells in subepithelial connective tissue of the skin and in tendons forming tumourous masses. Characteristic of acquired and hereditary hyperlipidaemic states.
Describe cholesterolosis.
Focal accumulations of cholesterol-laden macrophges in the lamina propria of the gallbladder.
Mechanism unknown
Describe Niemann-Pick disease type C
Lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations affecting an enzyme involved in cholesterol trafficking. Cholesterol accumulates in multiple organs.
What kinds of substances can accumulate in cells?
Lipids, proteins, glycogen, pigments
Accumulations of protein usually appear as…
Eosinophilic droplets, vacuoles or aggregates in the cytoplasm.
Example of a disease where proteins deposit abnormally extracellularly?
Amyloidosis
Causes of excessive protein accumulation
- Reabsorption droplets in proximal renal tubules
- Accumulation of excessive amounts of normal secreted proteins eg Russell bodies - eosinophilic immunoglobulin accumulations within plasma cells
- Defective intracellular transport and secretion of critical proteins eg alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency
- Accumulation of cytoskeletal proteins eg keratin filament accumulation causing alcoholic hyaline in alcoholic liver disease and eg 2 accumulation of neurofilaments into neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease
- Aggregation of abnormal/misfolded proteins either intra- or extracellularly eg amyloidosis or other “proteinopathies”.
4 types of cytoskeletal filament
- Microtubules 20-25nm
- Actin filaments (6-8nm)
- Myosin filaments (15 nm)
- Intermediate filaments (10 nm)
5 types of intermediate filament
- Keratin (epithelial cells)
- Neurofilaments (neurons)
- Desmin filaments (muscle)
- Vimentin filaments (connective tissue)
- Glial filaments (astrocytes)
Glycogen accumulation occurs in disorders of glucose and glycogen metabolism. Describe 2 such disorders.
- Diabetes mellitus - glycogen accumulates in liver, renal tubular epithelium, beta cells of the islets of Langerhans and heart muscle
- Glycogen storage disorders - defective enzymes in the synthesis or breakdown of glycogen
T or F: Pigments may be normal or abnormal, endogenous or exogenous.
True