Acute inflammation

Question 1

What are the causes of acute inflammation?

Answer 1

1. Microbial infections
2. Hypersensitivity reactions
3. Physical agents
4. Chemical agents

Question 2

What are the physical characteristics of acute inflammation?

Answer 2

1. Red (dilation of blood vessels)
2. Hot (Increase in temperature due to increased blood flow)
3. Swollen (due to oedema, and some contribution from inflammatory cells)
4. Painful/tender (stimulation of nerve endings by pressure and chemical mediators)
5. Loss of function

Question 3

What is oedema?

Answer 3

Excess of watery fluid collecting in tissues or cavities of the body

Question 4

What is hyperaemia?

Answer 4

Increased blood flow

Question 5

What are the phases of acute inflammation and describe them?

Answer 5

Vascular (dilatation and increased permeability) and exudative (fluid and cells escape from permeable venules)

Question 6

When is there an increased in permeability during inflammation?

Answer 6

During Vascular phase

Question 7

Define exudate

Answer 7

A mass of cells and fluid that has seeped out of blood vessels during inflammation. They are high protein content, and has a high turnover

Question 8

Give examples of proteins of an exudate

Answer 8

Immunoglobulin and Fibrin

Question 9

Highlight the differences between exudate and transudate

Answer 9

Transudate
Is fluid pushed through the capillary due to high pressure within the capillary

No net flow out
Normal vascular permeability
Low protein content

Exudate
Is fluid that leaks around the cells of the capillaries caused by inflammation

Net flow out
Increased vascular permeability
High protein content

Question 10

What increases vascular permeability?

Answer 10

Chemical mediators including histamine and bradykinin

Question 11

What are the beneficial effects of acute inflammation

Answer 11

1. Dilution of toxins
2. Entry of antibodies
3. Fibrin formation
4. Transport of drugs
5. Delivery of nutrients and oxygen
6. Stimulation of the immune response

Question 12

What are the harmful effect of acute inflammation?

Answer 12

Inappropriate inflammatory response
Swelling
Digestion of normal tissue

Question 13

What is the diagnostic feature of acute inflammation?

Answer 13

Neutrophil accumulation in the extracellular space

Question 14

What is the function of neutrophil?

Answer 14

Kill organisms 
Degrade necrotic tissue 
Produce chemical mediators
Produce toxic oxygen radicals 
Produce tissue damaging enzymes

Question 15

What is a necrotic tissue

Answer 15

dead tissue that cannot be salvaged and must be removed to allow wound healing to take place

Question 16

What are the stages of neutrophilic mechanism

Answer 16

1. Margination
2. Pavementing
3. Diapedesis
4. Migration

Question 17

Name some chemotactic compounds

Answer 17

Bacterial products
Some complement components
Products of neutrophil activity

Question 18

Name the four enzymatic cascade systems

Answer 18

Complement system
The kinins
The coagulation factors
Fibrinolytic system

Question 19

how do chemical substances released from the injured tissue spread?

Answer 19

Outwards into uninjured areas

Question 20

Where are chemical mediators derived from?

Answer 20

Cells and extracellular sources

Question 21

What do chemical mediators cause?

Answer 21

Vasodilatation
Emigration of neutrophils
Chemotaxis
Increased VP 
Itching and pain