POST MORTEM ARTIFACTS

Question 1

removal of organs (esp eyes, tongue, rectum) of carcass by carrion eating animals (e.g., dogs, coyotes, ravens, vultures, etc).

Answer 1

postmortem scavenging

Question 2

▪ is the rigidity or stiffening of muscles after death due to contraction of musclefibers as ATPs are depleted or exhausted.
▪ usually within 1-6

Answer 2

Rigor Mortis

Question 3

gradual cooling of the body after death.

Answer 3

Algor Mortis

Question 4

gravitational pooling/settling of blood to the dependant regions (“down side”) of the body. In this instance, you will know the position of the individual when it was dead.

Answer 4

Livor Mortis (hypostatic congestion)

Question 5

▪ occurs in heart and vessels.
▪ rbc’s may separate from plasma (esp in animals with high fibrinogen levels, eg horses) = “chicken fat clot”

Answer 5

Postmortem Clotting

Question 6

▪ HgB released by rbc breakdown (after death) → staining tissues.
▪ especially lining of heart and blood vessels; also common in tissues of aborted fetuses and frozen tissues.

Answer 6

Hemoglobin Imbition

Question 7

leakage of bile from gall bladder and major bile ducts which stains adjacent tissues green to yellow.

Answer 7

Bile Imbibition

Question 8

▪ term used to describe an artifactual black discoloration of tissues (similar in an appearance to melanosis).
▪ due to saprophytic/putrefactive bacterial production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) + iron → iron sulfide (FeS).

Answer 8

Pseudomelanosis

Question 9

after death, decomposition of tissues begins by progressive release of endogenous enzymes (autolysis) and more gradually by the action of saprophytic bacteria (especially from gut).

Answer 9

Postmortem autolysis / decomposition

Question 10

putrefaction (rotting), refers to the enzymatic decomposition of organic material (tissue) with production of foul-smelling compounds (eg H2S, NH3, mercaptans), especially by saprophytic / putrefactive bacteria.

Answer 10

Putrefaction and Postmortem Emphysema (bloating)

Question 11

2 FORMS OF PIGMENTATION:

Answer 11

1. EXOGENOUS PIGMENTATION
2. ENDOGENOUS PIGMENTATION

Question 12

are usually caused by inhalation of compounds in mineral or organic dust and become visible in the respiratory tract and draining lymph nodes.

Answer 12

EXOGENOUS PIGMENTATION

Question 13

occupational pathological pigmentations of the lung (as a group) are called

Answer 13

pneumoconiosis.

Question 14

The only exogenous pigmentation of concern in animals is caused by anthracosis, which occurs as a result of inhalations of carbon compounds.

Answer 14

anthracosis

Question 15

EXOGENOUS PIGMENTS
Comprise the following groups of materials:

Answer 15

a) Metals
b) Fungi
c) Colored substances
d) Coarse Materials

Question 16

may be divided into groups of those related to melanin or those derived from lipids, hemoglobin or porphyrins.

Answer 16

ENDOGENOUS PIGMENTATION

Question 17

is a normal pigment made by melanoblasts and melanocytes and present in cells, which receive it from melanocytes

Answer 17

MELANIN PIGMENTS

Question 18

is the presence of melanin in abnormal location such as on the pleura, meninges or heart.

Answer 18

melanosis

Question 19

congenital complete absence of melanin in an individual.

Answer 19

albino

Question 20

Macrophages that pick up granules of melanin are called

Answer 20

melanophores

Question 21

ENDOGENOUS PIGMENTS:

Answer 21

1. MELANIN PIGMENTS
2. LIPID PIGMENTS

Question 22

is found as yellowish-brown granules in the cytoplasm of affected parechymal cells.

Answer 22

Lipofuscin

Question 23

is a condition in which the kidney or liver becomes discolored black because of excess accumulation of non-iron staining brown pigment in hepatocytes and renal
tubular epithelium.

Answer 23

hemachromatosis

Question 24

usually seen in association with jaundice

Answer 24

Bilirubin

Question 25

is formed from the tetrapyrrole ring structure of hemoglobin when iron and protein have been removed. It is a normal by-product of hemoglobin breakdown but may occur at times in excess.

Answer 25

bilirubin

Question 26

occurs when bilirubin is presented in the plasma in excess and all tissues are stained yellowish-brown.

Answer 26

jaundice

Question 27

Jaundice is of three types:

Answer 27

a. Prehepatic jaundice b. Hepatic jaundice c. Posthepatic jaundice

Question 28

occurs following acute hemolytic conditions whereby bilirubin are brought to the liver in larger quantities to be conjugated with glucuronic acid.

Answer 28

prehepatic jaundice

Question 29

occurs from direct damage to liver cells and there is release of conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin into the blood.

Answer 29

hepatic jaundice

Question 30

the bilirubin has passed through the liver but is blocked from entry into the intestine.

Answer 30

posthepatic jaundice

Question 31

abnormal synthesis of hemoglobin lead to porphyrin accumulation

Answer 31

Porphyrins

Question 32

arises from phylloerythrin, a metabolite of chlorophyll that has photosensitizing properties.

Answer 32

hepatotoxic type

Question 33

is caused by plants that contain compounds directly photosensitive by ingestion without hepatic injury.

Answer 33

primary type