Pathoma: Growth Adaptations, Cell Injury, and Cell Death

Question 1

Organs will often change in size in response to _________.

Answer 1

increase in stress, decrease in stress, or change in the quality of stress

Question 2

The increase in cell size, hypertrophy, occurs by ________.

Answer 2

gene activation resulting in increased protein synthesis; for example, cells must have more cytoskeletal filaments and organelles if they are to become bigger

Question 3

Hyperplasia usually involves _____ cells.

Answer 3

stem

Question 4

The uterus increases in size (during pregnancy) by _______.

Answer 4

hypertrophy of smooth muscle cells and hyperplasia of endometrial cells

Question 5

What are the three permanent tissues in the body?

Answer 5

Cardiac myocytes, nerves, and skeletal muscles

Question 6

The endometrium undergoes hyperplasia by exposure to _____ and atrophy by exposure to ______.

Answer 6

estrogen; progesterone

Question 7

Benign prostatic hyperplasia does not ______.

Answer 7

increase risk for cancer (exception to the rule that hyperplasia often leads to neoplasia)

Question 8

Atrophy is _______.

Answer 8

a decrease in the size and number of cells

Question 9

Decrease in cell size occurs by ________.

Answer 9

ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the cytoskeleton and autophagy of cellular organelles

Question 10

Metaplasia mostly occurs in _______.

Answer 10

surface epithelium

Question 11

What are the three main types of epithelium?

Answer 11

Squamous, columnar, and transitional

Question 12

Barrett esophagus is a metaplasia in which the squamous epithelium of the esophagus changes to ________.

Answer 12

nonciliated, mucinous columnar epithelium (either gastric or intestinal)

Question 13

Explain the mechanism of metaplasia.

Answer 13

Stressors trigger changes in the stem cells of epithelial tissue; metaplasia can often be reversed by treatment of the underlying stressor.

Question 14

Metaplasia can lead to _______.

Answer 14

carcinogenesis, with the major exception of apocrine metaplasia; breast cells can change to apocrine cells, but this does not increase the risk of breast cancer

Question 15

Vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of ______.

Answer 15

night blindness

Question 16

Explain the pathology of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia.

Answer 16

APML occurs by a 15;17 translocation; this activates the retinoic acid receptor, which halts the cells in the promyelocytic state; thus this is treatable with vitamin A.

Question 17

The conjunctiva require _____ to develop into their specialized epithelium. Without it, the conjunctival epithelium undergoes metaplasia ________.

Answer 17

vitamin A; from columnar/goblet cell to keratinizing squamous cell

Question 18

What is the classic example of mesenchymal metaplasia?

Answer 18

Myositis ossificans, in which stressed skeletal muscle undergoes metaplasia to bone. (This is often confused with osteosarcoma, but it is distinct by its discontinuity with adjacent bone.)

Question 19

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is an example of _______.

Answer 19

dysplasia (in this case, precancerous)

Question 20

Is dysplasia reversible?

Answer 20

Yes! With removal of the underlying stress. It is irreversible if it progresses to carcinoma.

Question 21

Aplasia refers to ________.

Answer 21

failure to develop something during embryogenesis (such as unilateral renal agenesis)

Question 22

Hypoplasia is a decrease in growth during development, resulting in a small organ. Name a classic example.

Answer 22

“Streak” ovary in Turner syndrome