Inflammation chapter 3 Flashcards
What is the first step in the inflammatory response?
Recognition of the noxious agent that initiates inflammation.
Why must inflammation be regulated?
To prevent excessive tissue damage and terminate the response once the threat is eliminated.
What happens after immune cells recognize the noxious agent?
They release inflammatory mediators, triggering the inflammatory response
What is the second step of inflammation?
Recruitment of leukocytes and plasma proteins from blood to the injury site.
What enables immune cells and proteins to exit blood vessels?
Blood vessel changes and secretion of inflammatory mediators.
Which immune cells arrive first and later?
Neutrophils arrive first, followed by monocytes and lymphocytes.
What is the third step of inflammation?
Removal of the noxious agent by phagocytic cells (ingestion and destruction of microbes & dead cells).
What is the final step of inflammation?
Tissue repair via cell regeneration or scarring (connective tissue replacement).
What are the major components of the inflammatory response?
Blood vessels and leukocytes. Blood vessels dilate and increase permeability to allow proteins and immune cells into tissues. The endothelium changes to help leukocytes adhere and migrate into tissues. Once recruited, leukocytes ingest and destroy microbes, dead cells, and foreign materials.
What are the harmful consequences of inflammation?
Inflammation can cause local tissue damage, leading to pain and functional impairment. Normally, this damage is self-limited. However, in diseases like autoimmune disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), allergies, and chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g., atherosclerosis, lung fibrosis), inflammation becomes the primary cause of tissue damage. Uncontrolled inflammation is linked to conditions like type 2 diabetes, Alzheimerβs disease, and cancer.
What is the difference between acute and chronic inflammation?
Acute inflammation: Rapid and short-lived, mainly involving neutrophils, fluid exudation, and plasma proteins. It subsides if the stimulus is eliminated, with minimal residual damage.
Chronic inflammation: Long-term, involves lymphocytes and macrophages, and leads to more tissue destruction and fibrosis. It can arise de novo or follow unresolved acute inflammation (e.g., peptic ulcers). It occurs in persistent infections (e.g., tuberculosis), autoimmune diseases, and long-term exposure to irritants.
How does local inflammation differ from systemic inflammation?
Local inflammation occurs at a specific site of infection or injury and may cause fever. It develops within minutes to hours, lasts a few days, and is marked by fluid exudation (edema) and neutrophil infiltration. Systemic inflammation, such as sepsis, involves widespread pathological abnormalities due to bacterial infections and is part of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).
What are the mediators of inflammation, and how do they function?
nflammatory mediators are soluble factors produced by cells or derived from plasma proteins. They are triggered by microbes, necrotic cells, or hypoxia and determine the pattern, severity, and manifestations of inflammation.
How does the immune system recognize inflammatory triggers?
Cellular receptors for microbes β Found on plasma membranes, endosomes, and cytosol, detecting microbes in different cellular compartments.
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key in sensing pathogens and activating inflammation.
Found in epithelial cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, and leukocytes.
Sensors of cell damage β NOD-like receptors (NLRs) detect uric acid, ATP, K+ loss, and misplaced DNA, activating the inflammasome, which produces IL-1, leading to leukocyte recruitment and inflammation.
IL-1 overproduction can cause autoinflammatory syndromes (e.g., gout, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimerβs).
Other receptors β Leukocytes have receptors for Fc tails of antibodies and complement proteins, recognizing opsonized microbes for enhanced immune response.
What are the major causes of inflammation?
Infections β Bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections trigger varied inflammatory responses. Some resolve quickly, while others cause chronic damage or systemic reactions (e.g., sepsis).
Tissue necrosis β Inflammation occurs regardless of the cause of cell death (e.g., ischemia, trauma, burns, frostbite, chemical injury). Necrotic cells release molecules that trigger inflammation.
Foreign bodies β Splinters, dirt, and sutures induce inflammation directly or by causing trauma or introducing microbes. Even endogenous substances like urate crystals (gout), cholesterol crystals (atherosclerosis), and lipids (metabolic syndrome) can trigger inflammation.
Immune reactions (hypersensitivity) β Autoimmune diseases, allergies, and inappropriate immune responses lead to persistent inflammation due to self-antigens or environmental antigens, driven mainly by cytokines from T lymphocytes.
What are the three major components of acute inflammation?
Vasodilation β Small vessels dilate, increasing blood flow.
Increased vascular permeability β Plasma proteins and leukocytes leave circulation.
Leukocyte recruitment and activation β Leukocytes emigrate to the injury site, accumulate, and eliminate the offending agent.
Triggering event: Phagocytes recognize microbes or dead cells β release cytokines & lipid mediators β initiate vascular changes and leukocyte recruitment.
What circulating proteins contribute to inflammation?
Complement system β Reacts against microbes and produces inflammatory mediators.
Mannose-binding lectin β Recognizes microbial sugars, promoting complement activation and phagocytosis.
Collectins β Bind and combat microbes, aiding in immune defense.
What are the key vascular reactions in acute inflammation?
Exudation β Movement of fluid, proteins, and blood cells into tissues.
Exudate: High-protein, contains cellular debris β indicates inflammation.
Transudate: Low-protein, few cells β caused by osmotic/hydrostatic imbalance.
Edema: Excess fluid in tissues (can be either exudate or transudate).
Pus (Purulent Exudate): Rich in neutrophils, dead cells, and microbes.
What are the changes in vascular flow and caliber during acute inflammation?
Vasodilation β Mediated by histamine, affecting arterioles and capillary beds β causes heat and redness (erythema).
Increased vascular permeability β Leads to leakage of protein-rich fluid into tissues (discussed in detail later).
Stasis formation β Loss of fluid + vessel dilation = slower blood flow, increased viscosity, and vascular congestion (causing localized redness).
Leukocyte recruitment β
Neutrophils accumulate along vessel walls.
Endothelial cells upregulate adhesion molecules, allowing leukocytes to adhere and migrate into tissues.
What is the most common mechanism of vascular permeability in acute inflammation, and how does it occur?
Endothelial cell contraction leads to interendothelial gaps in postcapillary venules.
Mediated by: Histamine, bradykinin, leukotrienes, etc.
Two types:
Immediate transient response (15β30 min, short-lived).
Delayed prolonged response (2β12 hrs, lasts days; seen in burns, UV exposure, toxins).
What secondary inflammatory conditions can develop in the lymphatic system during acute inflammation?
Lymphangitis: Inflammation of lymphatic vessels (red streaks near wounds suggest infection).
Lymphadenitis: Inflammation of draining lymph nodes due to hyperplasia of immune cells.
Reactive (inflammatory) lymphadenitis: Lymph node swelling due to immune activation.
How do lymphatic vessels respond to acute inflammation?
Increased drainage of edema fluid, leukocytes, debris, and microbes.
Lymphatic vessel proliferation to accommodate excess fluid.
Prevents excessive tissue swelling and helps in immune surveillance.
How does direct endothelial injury contribute to increased vascular permeability?
Occurs in severe burns, bacterial toxins, or neutrophil-mediated injury.
Endothelial necrosis & detachment β immediate & sustained leakage until vessel repair or thrombosis.
Leukocyte-dependent injury amplifies inflammation by damaging endothelial cells.
What are key clinical signs indicating lymphatic system involvement in inflammation?
Red streaks near a wound β Lymphangitis (infection spreading through lymphatics).
Painful swollen lymph nodes β Lymphadenitis (immune activation).
Systemic symptoms (fever, malaise) may indicate significant lymphatic involvement.