Cellular Injury

Question 1

What is the most common cause of cell injury?

Answer 1

Hypoxia

Question 2

Explain what happens to a cell that is hypoxic? Make reference to the metabolism.

Answer 2

When the cell can’t use oxygen for making ATP (aerobic), it will need to use a ‘back up’ option-glucose. This is called anaerobic, and it does not produce sufficient ATP to function effectively.

Question 3

What is the main cause of tissue/cell hypoxia?

Answer 3

Ischemia

Question 4

What is reperfusion injury?

Answer 4

When there is cellular injury, free radicals multiply. When oxygen re enters the cell, the free radicals steal electrons from the oxygen molecule, turning the oxygen molecule into a free radicals.

Question 5

What are the 4 main examples of cell adaptation?

Answer 5

1. Atrophy-cells decrease in size and function.
2. Hypertrophy-cells increase in size.
3. Hyperplasia-number of cells increase.
4. Metaplasia-cells change from mature to less mature.

Question 6

What is the difference between physiologic vs. pathogenic adaptation?

Answer 6

Physiologic means normal changes, pathogenic means abnormal.