Introduction to Pathology Flashcards
What is pathology?
The study of the cause and mechanisms of disease
Define aetiology, and what it can include (2)
The causes leading to a disease
- genetic factors
- acquired / environmental factors
List the 4 processes of pathology
- Etiology
- Pathogenesis
- Structural
- Clinical Manifestations
Cystic Fibrosis is an autosomal _______ disorder?
Cystic Fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder.
Mutations in what gene leads to Cystic Fibrosis?
The CFTR gene.
What are the symptoms of cystic fibrosis? (3)
- Thick mucous secretions
- Recurrent chest infections
- Lung damage
Crohn’s disease is a combination of genetic _____ + _____ disease + ______ response
Crohn’s disease is a combination of genetic susceptibility + infectious disease + immune response
Give an example of an environmental factor in disease. Name the disease and how it occurs, plus symptoms.
Asbestosis
- work related exposure to asbestos fibres
- lung and pleural fibrosis
- mesothelioma (tumours in covering of lungs)
Most diseases are an interaction of multiple ______ and ______ factors
Most diseases are an interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors
Many breast cancers have an overexpressed ______ protein/gene, which is a _______. These genes are present in ____ ____.
Many breast cancers have an overexpressed HER-2 protein/gene, which is a receptor for a growth factor. These genes are present in extra copies.
HER-2 codes for
epidermal growth factor receptor in mammary cells
HER-2 is a target for the antibody ______
herceptin
What is the function of herceptin?
prevents expression, which prevents ability to drive cancer development. It is a competitive inhibitor that replaces EGF (epidermal growth factor)
Define Morbid Anatomy
The post-mortem macroscopic examination of disease
Molecular pathology describes disease processes in terms of _____ and _____ biological processes.
biochemical and molecular
Anatomical Pathology is:
The macroscopic and microscopic study of tissue obtained by biopsy, at surgery or post mortem.
Anatomical pathology is an _____ science.
observational
General Pathology, aka mechanisms of disease, is:
The investigation of processes underlying disease conditions.
General pathology is an _____ science.
experimental
Define pathogenesis:
The mechanism of disease development.
Inflammatory bowel diseases include: (2)
Crohn’s disease & Ulcerative colitis
Crohn’s Disease first appears in: (age group)
adolescents or young adults
Crohn’s Disease occurs mainly in the ____ of the _____ intestine, but can occur anywhere in the gut.
Crohn’s Disease occurs mainly in the end of the small intestine (ileum), but can occur anywhere in the gut.
Areas affected by Crohn’s Disease become _____
inflammed
The epithelial lining in Crohn’s Disease _____.
ulcerates
The colon wall in crohn’s disease may undergo extensive damange and ____________.
fibrotic thickening
The lumen in crohn’s disease:
narrows/stenosis
In Crohn’s Disease, ____ develop throughout the bowel wall, and drain into pus filled cavities known as ______ or form _____ into nearby loops of bowel.
In Crohn’s Disease, fissures develop throughout the bowel wall, and drain into pus filled cavities known as abscesses or form channels/fistulas into nearby loops of bowel.
Aggregations of lymphocutes are known as:
follicles
Aggregations of macrophages are known as:
granulomas
When the immune system is activated in Crohn’s disease, what three things happen as a result?
appearance of lymphocyte follicles, granulomas and enlarged lymph nodes
In Crohn’s disease, the probability of developing _____ is increased
cancer
Cancer is a ______ disease
neoplastic disease
List the 4 aetiological factors involved with Crohn’s Disease, and give an example of each.
- Genetic - family history - NOD2 gene mutation in 30% of caucasians
- Environmental - diet, NSAIDs, tobacco, increased hygiene
- Microbial - pathogenic infections as triggers, altered communicies of commensal bacteria (which alters the ecology of the gut)
- Uncontrolled immune responses - over-active Th1 Cells which secrete TNF, or underactive Treg cells
Outline the pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease - 4 steps:
- Environemental trigger (e.g infection, NSAID damage) damages mucosa
- Damage (with bacterial invasion of the submucosa) induces inflammatory response and healing
- People with genetic deficiency in innate immunity or barrier function may be unable to repair the damage or eliminate microbes from the submucosa
- Uncontrolled T cell responses may develop against commensal bacteria, ultimately damaging the colon wall.
Investigation of a mass/abnormal tissue includes the use of: (3)
- Fine needle aspiration
- Exfoliative cytology
- Tissue biopsy
The three kinds of tissue biopsy and their differences are:
- Core biopsy - sample taken with hollow needle, includes cells of surrounding tissue
- Incisional biopsy - sample of abnormal tissue cut out
- excisional biopsy - entire abnormal mass cut out
List the four types of analysis regarding tissue biopsies and what they look at (tools of pathology):
- cytology and morphology
- types of cells present, cytology of cells, architecture of tissue - Microbiology
- culture cells, tissue or swabs/scrapings from tissue - Immunology
- antigen expressions - Molecular studies
- chromosome analysis, DNA & RNA analysis
