The Inflammatory Response

Question 1

What are the 4 cardinal responses to inflammation?

Answer 1

Heat, swelling, pain and redness

Question 2

Give 5 examples of external causes of tissue damage

Answer 2

Trauma, extremes of temperature, infection, foreign objects, radiation damage, poisons.

Question 3

Give 5 examples of internal causes of tissue damage

Answer 3

Autoimmune diseases, ischaemia (reduced blood supply) to tissues, hypersensitivity to allergens, tumours due to cell overpopulation, exposure of tissues to digestive enzymes causing damage.

Question 4

What are the two important responses making up the inflammatory response?

Answer 4

The vascular response and the cellular response

Question 5

What happens during the vascular response to inflammation?

Answer 5

Blood vessels vasodilate, vascular permeability increases and there is an increased outflow of fluid exudate.

Question 6

What happens during the cellular response to inflammation?

Answer 6

Immune cells from the body are recruited to the source of the inflammation.

Question 7

What do bradykinins and prostaglandins cause?

Answer 7

Pain

Question 8

Proinflammatory cytokines causes systemic symptoms such as (give two)

Answer 8

Fever and malase

Question 9

What is the pathophysiology behind odeama?

Answer 9

Odeama is the accumilation of exudate from the blood vessels within the tissues

Question 10

What is the role of exudate in the inflammatory response?

Answer 10

It helps to dilute toxins and reduce blood loss

Question 11

Name three immune cells involved in the cellular response to inflammation

Answer 11

Mast cells, macrophages and neutrophils

Question 12

Name the primary characteristic of acute inflammation

Answer 12

The attraction of neutrophils to the inflamed area. The key role of neutrophils is phagocytosis.

Question 13

Describe the three key steps in phagocytosis

Answer 13

1. The neutrophil surrounds the microorganism and brings it into the cell in a vesicle called a phagosome
2. The phagosome fuses with an organelle called a lysosome
3. The lysosome contains digestive enzymes which break down and destroy the microorganism

Question 14

What happens to a neutrophil following phagocytosis?

Answer 14

They die and collectively create pus.

Question 15

What three things accumulate to create pus?

Answer 15

Dead neutrophils, cell debris and bacteria

Question 16

What is the role of mast cells in the inflammatory response?

Answer 16

They release histamine which causes casodilation and increases vascular permeability.

Question 17

What stimulates mast cells to release histamine

Answer 17

When the body is vulnerable to allergens in the external environment

Question 18

Name the three blood tests undertaken to test for inflammation

Answer 18

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Plasma viscosity

Question 19

What are the possible outcomes of acute inflammation.

Answer 19

Generally, the immune response will clear the source of damage relatively quickly resulting in minimal tissue damage and scarring.

Question 20

Name the differences between acute and chronic inflammation with relation to:
-duration
-onset
-main cells involved
outcomes
-role
-signs and symptoms
-examples

Answer 20

Acute:
-duration- minutes/hours/days
-onset- fast onset (the initial immune response)
-main cells involved- neutrophils, macrophages and mast cells
outcomes- generally no damage, minimal scarring
-role- protective
-signs and symptoms- prominent and local
-examples- appendicitis, allergies, sepsis, stings
Chronic:
-duration- weeks/years
-onset- significantly slower onset
-main cells involved- macrophages and lymphocytes
outcomes- damaged and scarred tissues
-role- damaging
-signs and symptoms- less prominent signs and symptoms due to deep tissue damage
-examples- crohns disease, asthma.

Question 21

Name 4 conditions where chronic inflammation will arise:

Answer 21

Persistant infection, autoimmune conditions, allergic diseases (such as asthma) and prolonged exposure to toxins

Question 22

The first immune cell that will encounter an invading microorganism is likely to be

Answer 22

A macrophage

Question 23

The main cells involved in chronic inflammation are:

Answer 23

Macrophages and lymphocytes

Question 24

Name four features making up the bodies innate biological barrier to infection:

Answer 24

Mucous membrane forms a barrier
Cilia remove pathogens from the body
Mucous traps pathogens
Stomach acid destroys pathogens due to its low pH

Question 25

What happens when pathogens bypass the bodies natural barriers to infection (e.g. mucous membranes)

Answer 25

The inflammatory response is triggered

Question 26

Name four inflammatory mediators and their roles in the inflammatory response

Answer 26

Prostaglandins: cause pain, vasodilation and fever
Bradykinins: cause vasodilation, increased blood vessel permiability and pain
Histamines: cause vasodilation, increased blood vessel permeability and plasma protein release
Cytokines: promote inflammation, fever and release of neutrophils

Question 27

Which are the bodies three immeidiate responses to injury or infection?

Answer 27

Release of inflammatory mediators
Vascular response
Cellular response

Question 28

A virus which can pass from an animal to a human is known as being

Answer 28

Zoonotic

Question 29

When is a patient said to have septic shock?

Answer 29

When a patient is hypotensive and not responding to IV fluids

Question 30

The term ‘antibody’ is short for

Answer 30

Antibody generator

Question 31

What is the primary role of memory B cells?

Answer 31

To remain in the lymph nodes to remember how to fight bacterial infections

Question 32

Give the three methods of antibody neutralisation:

Answer 32

Neutralisation
Oponisation
Complement Fixation

Question 33

Which immunoglobulin is responsible for type one autoimmune conditions?

Answer 33

IgE immunoglobulins