Pathology Flashcards
what is inflammation
- local physiological response to tissue injury
- complex reaction in vascularised connective tissue
role of inflammatory response
serves to destroy,dilute or wall of injurious agent (primarily a protective response)
when is inflammation harmful (3)
- life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions
- chronic inflammatory diseases e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and crohn’s
- repair by fibrosis may lead to disfiguring scars
types of inflammation (2)
- acute
- chronic
what is acute inflammation
the initial and often transient series of tissue reactions to injury (involving several processes)
what is chronic inflammation
subsequent and often prolonged tissue reactions following the initial response
principle causes of acute inflammation (5)
- microbial infections (viruses,bacteria such as E.coli, actinomycetemcomitans)
- hypersensitivity reactions (inappropriate or excessive immune reaction which damages tissues, including reactions to parasites)
- physical agents (trauma, uv light, thermal agents inc. burns or frostbite)
- irritant and corrosive chemicals (acids, alkalis, infecting agents releasing chemical irritants)
- foreign bodies (e.g. splinters,dirt,sutures,restorative material)
physical characteristics of inflammation (5)
- redness (dilation of blood vessels)
- heat (increase in blood flow, hyperaemia)
- swelling (due to accum. of fluid exudate in extravasc. space)
- pain (stretching/distortion of tissues by inc. fluid, also chemical mediators inc. bradykinin produce pain)
- loss of function (due to swelling and pain,conscious and reflex)
processes of acute inflammation (2)
- vascular phase
- exudative and cellular phase
what occurs in vascular phase of acute inflammation (2)
- dilation (pre capillary bed sphincter opens,most capillaries are full)
- increased permeability of blood vessels (oxygen carbon dioxide and some nutrients transfer via diffusion, main transfer of fluid and solute is by ultrafiltration as described by starling)
what occurs in exudative/cellular phase of acute inflammation
fluid and cells escape from permeable venules
what is oedema
the net increase in extravascular fluid
what is within the fluid exudate that builds up in extravascular space (and role of these components) (2)
- proteins including immunoglobins and fibrinogen:
- > immunoglobins important in destruction of invading organisms
- > fibrinogen (fibrin on contact with ECM, hence acutely inflamed organ surfaces commonly covered in fibrin)
role of lymphatics in acute inflammation
continually remove exudate (it is replaced by new exudate)
how does vascular permeability increase
- via formation of endothelial gaps in venules (lined with single layer of endothelial cells)
- > endothelial cells contain contractile proteins, which when stimulated by chemical mediators (histamine, bradykinin) they pull open transient pores
- > endothelial cells are not damaged in this process
which chemical mediators bring about an increase in vascular permeability (2)
- histamine
- bradykinin
location of leaked fluid when vascular permeability increases during acute inflammation
confined to POST CAPILLARY VENULES
causes of immediate and transient increased vascular permeability
- chemical mediators:
- > histamine
- > bradykinin
causes of immediate and sustained increased vascular permeability
severe direct vascular injury e.g. trauma
cause of delayed and prolonged increased vascular permeability
endothelial cell injury e.g. X-rays, bacterial toxins
cellular component of acute inflammation
neutrophil (diagnostic feature of acute inflammation, accumulates in extracellular space)
->aka polymorphonuclear leucocytes
what type of cell is a neutrophil
leukocyte
function of neutrophils (6)
- kill organisms
- ingest offending agents
- degrade necrotic tissue
- produce chemical mediators
- produce toxic oxygen radicals
- produce tissue damaging cells
steps involved in neutrophils reaching site of inflammatory stimulus (3)
- margination (flow in plasmatic zone of blood vessels, occurs ONLY in venules)
- adhesion (interaction between adhesion molecules on its surface and the endothelial surface)
- transendothelial migration/transmigration (following firm adhesion, neutrophils insert pseudopodia into junctions between endothelial cells, then cross through basement membrane into extravascular space)
predominant molecules involved in migration of neutrophil across basement membrane into extravascular space (4)
- increased expression of selectins on endothelium
- loose, rolling adhesion between selectins and their receptors on the leucocyte
- firm adhesion between activated integrins on leucocyte and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) on endothelial cell
- transmigration is mediated by ICAM-1, integrins and PECAM-1 (CD31)
what increases leucocyte surface adhesion molecule expression (3)
- complement component C5a
- leukotriene B4
- tumour necrosis factor (TNF)
what increases endothelial cell expression of adhesion molecules to which neutrophils and other leucocytes bond (3)
- IL-1
- endotoxins
- tumour necrosis factor (TNF)
how do neutrophils find the site of inflammatory stimulus
-process called chemotaxis (‘locomotion orientated along a chemical gradient’)
compounds chemotactic/trigger chemotaxis for neutrophils (4)
- bacterial products
- complement components
- cytokines
- products produced by the neutrophils themselves
what is the result of the series of chemical reactions caused by the binding of chemotactic agents to cell receptors (4)
- release of intracellular calcium
- influx of extracellular calcium
- > increased cytosolic calcium triggers assembly of contractile proteins responsible for cell movement
- > locomotion involves rapid assembly and disassembly of contractile filaments)
role of endogenous chemical mediators (5)
- > drive the process of acute inflammation
- cause:
- > vasodilation
- > emigration of neutrophils
- > chemotaxis
- > increased vascular permeability
- > itching and pain
chemical mediators of inflammation released from cells (6)
- histamine
- lysosomal compounds
- serotonin
- chemokines
- leukotrienes
- prostagladins
result of release of chemical mediator histamine from cells
- vacular dilatation
- transient increase in vascular permeability
which cells release histamine (4)
- mast cells
- eosinophils
- basophils
- platelets
where are lysosomal compounds released
from neutrophils
result of release of lysosomal compounds
may increase vascular permeability and activate complement
type of serotonin present in high conc. in platelets
5 hydroxytryptamine
effect of serotonin release from cell
causes increased vascular permeability
what are chemokines and role
- proteins which attract various types of leucocyte to the site of inflammation
- > various chemokine bind to ECM components setting up a gradient of chemotactic molecules fixed to the extracellular matrix
what are leukotrienes synthesised by
arachidonic acid, especially in neutrophils
role of leukotrienes
- posses vasoactive properties
- involved in type I hypersensitivity
what are prostaglandins
fatty acids synthesised by many cell types
effect of prostaglandins release
- increased vacslar permeability
- stimulate platelet aggregation
plasma factors in inflammation (4 enzymatic cascade systems which mediate various aspects of inflammation in addition to other functions)
- complement system
- kinin system
- coagulation system
- fibrinolytic system
function of the complement system
innate and adaptive immunity for defence against microbes
what makes up the compliment system
compliment proteins C1-C9 and their cleavage products