Lecture title - Cell injury and death

22 important questions on Lecture title - Cell injury and death

What is the difference between physiological and pathological hyperplasia?

Physiological hyperplasia ="normal" action of hormones and growth factors
Pathological hyperplasia = excessive or inappropriate actions of hormones or growth factors

What are the results of physiological hyperplasia?

Increased functional capacity of tissue when required, increased tissue mass after damage or loss

What is the difference between dividing cells and non-dividing cells?

Dividing cells undergo hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Non-dividing cells only undergo hypertrophy.
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Explain how smoking causes metaplasia

Smoking causes replacement of normal columnar epithelium by stratified squamous. This results in loss of mucous secretion.

Under which condition is dysplasia reversible?

Dysplasia is reversible in early stages

What are the two possible morphological changes observed in reversible cell injury?

1. Cell swelling
2. Fatty change / steatosis

What is fatty change/steatosis?

Disruption of metabolic pathways from toxic injury or hypoxia that results in formation/accumulation of lipid vacuoles in the cytoplasm.

In which organs is fatty change/steatosis observed in?

In organs involved in lipid metabolism, such as the liver, heart, skeletal muscle.

What is intracellular deposits?

Abnormal accumulations of substances inside cells due to excessive intake, excessive production, defective transport, or defective catabolism of a substance.

Where can intracellular deposits be found?

1. Cytoplasm
2. Organelles (such as lysosomes)
3. Nucleus

What are the mechanisms of abnormal lipid deposition in cells?

1. Fatty change/steatosis
2. Cholesterol deposition

What are the mechanisms of abnormal pigment deposition in cells?

Usually, indigestible pigments like carbon and haemosiderin (iron) accumulate

What are the two main types of pathological calcification?

1. Dystrophic calcification - calcium deposition in sites of cell injury and necrosis
2. Metastatic calcification - calcium deposition in tissues due to hypercalcaemia (too much blood calcium)

What causes energy failure in cells?

Lack of oxygen or glucose, mitochondrial failure

What cause failure of membrane functional integrity in cells?

Damage to ion pumps, complement or perforin (formation of pores), bacterial toxins

What causes membrane damage in cells?

Free radicals (unstable molecules with unpaired electrons = highly reactive)

What causes DNA damage or loss?

Ionising radiation, chemotherapy, free radicals

What causes blockage of metabolic pathways?

Interruption of protein synthesis, respiratory poisons, lack of hormones/growth factors

What are the 3 steps/patterns of nuclear changes for DNA and chromatin breakdown in necrosis?

1. Pyknosis = nucleus is shrunken and dark
2. Karyorrhexis = nuclear fragmentation
3. Karyolysis = nuclear dissolution

What is the common cause of coagulative necrosis?

Hypoxic death of cells in all tissues except the brain causes coagulative necrosis

What is caseous necrosis?

Caseous necrosis is most commonly seen in tuberculosis (TB) infection in the lungs with formation of yellow-white cheese-like debris.

Explain how acute pancreatitis involves fat necrosis

1. Release of pancreatic enzymes in response to inflammation in pancreas
2. Necrosis of adipose tissues by enzymes = free fatty acids binding to calcium ions
3. Fat saponification = formation of visible chalky white areas from fat + calcium binding

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