Pathology Flashcards
Define pathology
The study of the causes and effects of disease
What does Histopathology focus on?
The study of tissue
What do Histopathologists specialise in?
The post-mortem investigation of suspicious death
What 3 things happen first when there is an infection?
Increased blood flow
Increased epithelium permeability
Protein rich plasma enters tissue
What are the 4 Cardinal signs of infection?
Heat, Redness, Swelling, Pain
What 4 things make up puss
Neutrophils, Bacteria, Dead Tissue, Exudate
What type of bacteria cause pus to be produced
Pyogenic bacteria
What is an abscess
A collection of pus in a new space
What is an Empyema?
A collection of pus in a pre-existing space
What causes Coagulative Necrosis?
Severe Ischaemia in solid organs
What causes Liquefactive necrosis and where does it occur?
Occurs in the brain due to enzyme release
Where is Caseous Necrosis found?
Found in TB patients
Where does Fat necrosis occur?
The breast and Pancreas
Where does Fibrinoid necrosis occur?
In damaged arteries
What is Haemorrhagic Necrosis and what causes it?
Dead tissue packed with RBC due to blocked venous drainage
What is Apoptosis and what are the benefits over necrosis?
programmed cell death, it minimises injury to surrounding cells and components of the cell can be recycled
What occurs in the initiation stage of apoptosis?
Apoptosis is stimulated by Bax protein and pores form in the mitochondria
What occurs in the Execution stage of Apoptosis?
Activation of Initiator and Executioner Caspasases which lead to endonuclease activation, breakdown of cytoskeleton and apoptopic body formation
What occurs in the disposal phase of Apoptosis?
Phagocytosis by macrophages
What is Ischaemia?
A hypoxic injury due to lack of blood flow
What is an Infarction?
Necrosis due to Ischaemia
What is Autolysis
Death of cells due to a release of digestive enzymes from within a cell
What causes Autolysis
The death of an organism or removal of the autolysed tissue from the organism
How can Autolysis be prevented?
Using formaldehyde
