Intro to Inflammation Flashcards
Goes over the basic concepts of inflammation introduced first
What is inflammation?
A complex reaction involved with the repair process in response to an injury (or injurious agent)
Healing response
Repair involves replacement of injured tissue via…
- Cell regeneration
- Scar formation
- Both
The healing continuum is a spectrum between…
resolution and scar
What are the major players in the inflammatory process?
- White blood cells/leukocytes
- Blood vessels
- Connective tissue cells
- Extracellular matrix
Which cell is considered the immune cell?
White blood cells (leukocytes)
Which blood vessels are most involved in the inflammatory process?
Capillaries and post capillary venules
Which connective tissue cells are most involved in the inflammatory process?
Fibroblasts (lay down CT)
What are the major causes of inflammation?
- Physical
- Chemical
- Microbiological
- Immune responses
What are the two patterns of inflammation?
- Acute inflammatory response
- Chronic inflammatory response
Describe the histology of an acute inflammatory response
Most prominent and first to arrive are neutrophils
Macrophages show up later
Describe the symptoms of an acute inflammatory response
Rapid onset, short-lived symptomology
Describe the histology of a chronic inflammatory response
Lymphocytes and macrophages are involved leukocytes
Fibroblasts are laying scar tissue
Describe the symptoms of a chronic inflammatory response
Slow onset, long-lived symptoms appear late, more pronounced tissue damage
What are the cardinal signs of inflammation as defined by Virchow?
- calor (heat)
- tumor (swelling)
- rubor (redness)
- dolor (pain)
(also functio laesa, loss of function)
What is edema?
Accumulation of fluid within the extravascular compartment and interstitial tissues
What is an exudate?
Edema fluid with a high protein concentration (making it more dense) which frequently contains inflammatory cells
If an edema is inflammatory, what is the fluid it contains?
Exudate
When are exudates observed?
Early in acute inflammatory reactions produced by mild injuries
ie. sunburn, traumatic blisters
What is the specific gravity of an exudate?
> 1.015 (more dense)
What is an effusion?
Excess fluid in body cavities
ie. peritoneum or pleura
What is a transudate?
Edema fluid with low protein content (less dense)
If an edema is non-inflammatory, what is the fluid it contains?
Transudate
What is the specific gravity of a transudate?
< 1.015 (less dense)
A transudate is less dense, so it moves across the capillary wall by…
hemodynamic forces
What characterizes a serous exudate, or effusion?
Absence of a prominent cellular response; has a yellow, straw-like color
What are the histological features of serous exudate?
More proteins (greater specific gravity), fewer cells
What is an example of serous exudate?
Blister
What does serosanguinous refer to?
A serous exudate, or effusion, that contains red blood cells and has a red tinge
If the coagulation system is activated, resulting in large amount of fibrin, what is the edema’s fluid?
Fibrinous exudate
When a fibrinous exudate occurs on a serosal surface, such as the pleura or pericardium, it is referred to as…
fibrinous pleuritis or fibrinous pericarditis
What is a purulent exudate or effusion?
Exudate that contains prominent cellular components
What are the histological features of a purulent exudate?
More proteins (higher specific gravity, more dense), more cells with more debris
What is an example of a purulent exudate?
Popping a pimple
Purulent exudates and effusions are usually due to pathology such as… where the predominant cell type is…
pathology such as pyogenic bacterial infection where the predominant cell type is polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs)
What is suppurative inflammation?
Acute inflammatory process where purulent exudate occurs with significant liquefactive necrosis; equivalent of pus
What are the three major components that comprise the inflammatory response?
- Vessel wall permeability changes
- Vasodilation
- Leukocyte movement
