Acute and Chronic Inflammation Vocabulary

Flashcards covering the vocabulary, definitions, and key concepts from the lecture on acute and chronic inflammation.

Inflammation

Response of connective tissue to mild/sublethal injury and may also be seen following necrosis; can be acute or chronic. Generally beneficial, part of body's defence & healing process.

Inflamed Tissue Naming Convention

Prefix = tissue name (in Latin or Greek) plus suffix = itis (e.g. tonsillitis, appendicitis, hepatitis)

Calor

Heat

Rubor

Redness

Dolor

Pain

Tumor

Swelling

Functio Laesa

Loss of Function

Hyperaemia

Increased blood flow to area

Increased vascular permeability

Increased leakiness of vessels to fluid and protein, leading to formation of inflammatory exudate

Transudate

Tissue fluid that forms in normal tissue via Starling forces; lymphatics return fluid to circulation.

Exudate

Contains increased protein concentration (e.g., fibrinogen) compared to transudate.

Serous inflammatory exudate

Low protein levels and very little leukocytic emigration (e.g., skin blister)

Fibrinous exudate

High protein levels (e.g., fibrinous pericarditis or pleurisy)

Suppurative exudate

Much leukocytic emigration due to infection (infection & leukocytes form pus) (e.g., meningitis)

Haemorrhagic exudate

Injury directly damages vessels, and all blood components (fluid, proteins, RBC, WBC) leak out (e.g., bleeding peptic ulcer)

Stasis

Blood flow slows or stops

Margination & Diapedesis

Escape of leukocytes from circulation to tissue

Infiltrate

Leukocytes found in extravascular spaces

Chemotaxis

Movement of leukocytes to site of injury

Phagocytosis

Ingestion of necrotic debris, toxins

Resolution

Complete restoration of normal structure and function of tissue

Abscess

Pus filled cavity; necrotic tissue, neutrophils (viable/non viable) & pyogenic bacteria (viable/non viable)

Regeneration

Necrotic tissue is removed & replaced by division of surviving parenchymal cells.

Organization

Replacement of specialized cells by fibrosis or gliosis

Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation becomes long-standing; injury persists leading to constant inflammation with constant attempts at healing.

Granuloma

Solid tissue nodule, grain-like lump of inflammatory cells in tissue

Stricture

Abnormal narrowing of a duct or passage

Stenosis

Narrowing of an opening

Ankylosis

Fusion of joints causing immobility