S1 L2 Flashcards
What is cell injury?
any disruption, physical or chemical, that results in the loss of a cell’s or tissue’s ability to maintain homeostasis
What do the degrees of cell injury depend on?
Duration of injury
Type of injury
Severity of injury
Type of tissue
What can cause cell injury?
Hypoxia
Toxins
Physical agents: direct trauma, extreme of temp, pressure changes, electrical currents
Radiation
Microorganisms
Immune mechanisms =acute and chronic inflammation, hypersensitivity, autoimmune reactions.
Dietary insufficiency and deficiencies, dietary excess
Genetic abnormalities – inborn errors of cell function, autoimmunity.
What is hypoxia?
Oxygen deprivation
What is ischaemia?
Loss of oxygen and other substrates= more rapid and severe cell injury
What are the causes of hypoxia?
Hypoaxemic
Anaemic
Ischaemic
Histiocytic
What is hypoxaemic hypoxia?
Arterial content of oxygen is low =the oxygen pressure in the blood being too low to saturate haemoglobin
Reduced inspired pO2 altitude
Reduced absorption secondary to lung disease
What is anaemic hypoxia?
Decreased ability of haemoglobin to carry oxygen
=anaemia or CO poisoning
What is ischaemic hypoxia?
Interruption of blood supply
Blockage of a vessel or heart failure
What is histiocytic hypoxia?
Inability to utilise oxygen in cells due to disabled oxidative phosphorylation enzymes
E.g. cyanide poisoning
What things are toxic?
Glucose and salt in hypertonic solutions High conc of O2 Poisons Pollutants Insecticides Herbicides Absbetos Alcohol Narcotic drugs Medicines
How does the immune system damage the body’s cells?
Hypersensitivity reactions host tissue is injured secondary to overly vigorous immune reaction
Autoimmune reactions- immune system fails to distinguish self from non-self
Which cell component are most susceptible to injury?
Cell membranes inc organellar membranes
Nucleus- DNA
Proteins- Enzymes
Mitochondria- oxidative phosphorylation
What happens at the molecular level in hypoxia?
Blood vessel is occulded
Deprives tissue of oxygen
Mitochondrial ATP production stops
Decreased ATP
NA-K pump decreases in activity= influx of Ca2+, H2O, Na, effluent of K+= cellular swelling, loss of Microvilli, bless, ER swelling
In the absence of oxygen, the cell will carry put anaerobic respiration to provide ATP.
Increase of glycolysis = increase in lactic acid = decrease in pH and glycogen = clumping of nuclear chromatin
Detachment of ribosomes- decrease protein synthesis = lipid deposition
The cell will initiate a stress (heat-shock) response to repair damage.
What happens in prolonged hypoxia?
Increased cytotoxic calcium enters the cell due to the failure of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and activates multiple enzymes= irreversible cell injury resulting in cell death. These enzymes and their effects:
Phospholipase- Destruction of the cell membrane
Proteases- Damage membrane proteins and the cell cytoskeleton
ATPase- Further loss of ATP
Endonucleases-Cleavage of the DNA backbone and clumping of nuclear chromatin
The cellular organelles will then begin to swell, enzymes will be released and damage other cellular components, and the damaged cell membrane begins to bleb
What happens after cell death?
release many of its intracellular molecules (such as potassium, cell specific enzymes, myoglobin) into the surrounding tissue= general toxic effects on the neighbouring cells and cause local irritation and inflammation.
Different cell types have different molecules, and so levels of these molecules in blood tests can be useful for diagnosis
What are free radicals?
Single unpaired electron in outer orbit
Unstable configuration= reaction with other molecules
Name three free radicals that are of biological significance in cells.
Hydroxyl (OH)
Superoxide (O2)
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
How are free radicals produced?
Normal metabolic reactions
Inflammation: respiratory burst
Radiation
Contact with unbound metals in body: Fe in Fenton reaction and Cu
Drugs and chemicals: liver metabolism of paracetamol or carbon tetrachloride by P450 system
How do free radicals injure cells?
Causes oxidative imbalance
Target lipids in cell membrane= lipid peroxidation causing further formation of free radicals
Oxidised proteins, carbs, DNA= form cross links, bend out of shape, break, mutagentic
How does the body control free radicals?
Anti-oxidant scavengers: donate electrons to the free radical- vitamins A, C, E
Metal carrier and storage proteins (transferring, ceruloplasmin): sequester iron and copper
Enzymes neutralise free radicals: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase
How can cell protect itself against injury?
Heat shock proteins= mend misfiled proteins and maintain cell viability
Unfoldases or chaperonins
What does a hypoxic cell look like under a microscope?
Cytoplasmic changes
Nuclear changes
Abnormal cellular accumulations
What changes can we see in a cell undergoing reversible injury?
Blebs Generalised swelling Clumping of nuclear chromatin Autophagy by lysosomes ER swelling Dispersion of ribosomes Mitochondrial swelling
What can we see under a microscope of irreversible injury?
Rupture of lysosomes and autolysis Nucleus: pyknosis, karyolysis, karyorrhexis Defects in cell membrane Myelin figures ER lysis
Describe the nuclear changes seen in irreversible cell injury
Pyknosis-Irreversible condensation of chromatin and nuclear shrinkage.
Karyolysis-Dissolution of the nucleus.
Karryorrhexis-Destructive fragmentation of the nucleus.
What are abnormal cellular accumulations?
When metabolic processes become deranged
Occurs with sublethal or chronic injury
Can be reversible, harmless or toxic
Can derive from: cell’s own metabolism, extracellular space, outer environment
What are the main five groups of intracellular accumulations?
Water and electrolytes Lipids Carbohydrates Proteins Pigments
When does fluid accumulate in the cells?
Hydropic swelling When energy supplies cut off Severe cellular distress Na and water flood into cell Problem in brain
When do lipids accumulate in the cell?
Steatosis- acculturation of triglycerides in liver
Asymptomatic if mild
What are the causes of steatosis?
Alcohol
Diabetes mellitus
Obesity
Toxins