Patho Exam 1

Etiology

Cause of disease, the origin

Idiopathic

Unknown etiology

Iatrogenic

Disease stemming from medical cause or diagnostic procedure

Pathogenesis

Structural/functional changes in the body due to disease

Manifestations

Changes in the body/appearance due to disease

Signs

Objective data

Symptoms

Subjective data → need to ask the patient questions

Compensatory mechanisms

Body’s attempt to fight back changes in the body

Complications

Preventable problems, only occur in some cases (E.g. pneumonia)

Prognosis

Expected outcome of disease

Morbidity

Impact on quality of life

Syndrome

Combination of signs and symptoms

Passive diffusion

Movement of substances across a membrane without energy, from high to low concentration.

Osmosis

Movement of water across a semipermeable membrane toward the area with a higher solute concentration.

Albumin

The main plasma protein that helps maintain osmotic pressure and fluid balance.

Active transport

Movement of substances against their concentration gradient using energy (ATP)

Aerobic respiration

Energy production that requires oxygen and produces a large amount of ATP.

Anaerobic respiration

Energy production without oxygen that produces a small amount of ATP.

Cell proliferation

The creation of new cells through cell division.

Cellular adaptation

Changes cells make in response to stress or changes in their environment.

Hyperplasia

Increase in cell number

Metaplasia

Substitution of one mature cell type with another mature cell type.

Dysplasia

Abnormal or disorganized cell growth and changes in cell appearance.

Ischemia

Reduced or inadequate blood flow to a tissue.

Apoptosis

Normal, programmed cell death that removes old or damaged cells.

Necrosis

Premature, pathological cell death caused by injury or disease.

Gangrene

Tissue death, often associated with loss of blood supply and sometimes infection.

Neoplasm

An abnormal growth of cells that may be benign or malignant.

Anaplasia

Loss of normal cell differentiation and organization, commonly seen in cancer cells.

Telomeres

Protective structures at the ends of chromosomes that normally shorten as cells divide.

Density dependence

Normal control of cell division in which cells stop dividing when they become crowded.

Anchorage dependence

The normal requirement for many cells to attach to a surface before dividing.

Benign

Noncancerous, usually localized growth that does not spread to distant sites

Malignant

Cancerous growth that can invade surrounding tissues and spread to other areas.

Metastasis

The spread of cancer from its original location to another part of the body

Genotype

An individual's genetic makeup.

Phenotype

The observable physical characteristics produced by genes and the environment.

Homozygous

Having two identical alleles for a gene.

Heterozygous

Having two different alleles for a gene.

Autosomal dominant disorder

A disorder that occurs when one altered copy of a gene is inherited.

Autosomal recessive disorder

A disorder that occurs when two altered copies of a gene are inherited.

Aneuploidy

An abnormal number of chromosomes.

Monosomy

The presence of only one copy of a chromosome instead of two.

Trisomy

The presence of three copies of a chromosome instead of two.

General adaptation system

The body's overall response to prolonged stress.

Alarm stage

The initial stress response involving activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Resistance stage

The stage in which the body attempts to adapt and cope with continued stress.

Exhaustion stage

The stage in which the body's resources become depleted after prolonged stress

Catecholamines

Stress hormones, including adrenaline, that prepare the body to respond to stress

Local adaptation system

A localized response to stress that occurs in a specific area of the body.

HLA

Cell markers that help the immune system recognize self cells.

Antigen

A foreign substance that triggers an immune response.

Leukopenia

An abnormally low white blood cell count.

Leukocytosis

An abnormally high white blood cell count.

Lymphocytes

White blood cells involved in immune responses, including B cells and T cells.

Thymus

The organ where T cells mature.

Bone marrow

Tissue where blood cells are produced and where B cells mature.

Neutrophils

White blood cells that are often among the first responders to infection.

Bands

Immature neutrophils.

Segs

Mature segmented neutrophils

Pyrogens

Substances that can cause fever.

Interferons

Proteins that help inhibit viral replication.

Complement proteins

Plasma proteins that work in a cascade to strengthen the immune response.

Histamine

A chemical that increases blood vessel permeability and is involved in allergic reactions

Prostaglandins

Chemical mediators that contribute to inflammation.

Cytokines

Chemical messengers that allow immune cells to communicate.

Eosinophils

White blood cells associated with allergic responses and certain parasitic infections.

Monocytes

White blood cells that can develop into macrophages in tissues

Basophils

White blood cells that release chemicals such as histamine.

Active immunity

Immunity produced when the body makes its own immune response.

Active natural immunity

Immunity that develops after exposure to an infectious agent.

Active artificial immunity

Immunity that develops after vaccination or immunization.

Passive immunity

Protection provided by receiving preformed antibodies.

Passive natural immunity

Antibodies passed from a mother to a child.

Passive artificial immunity

Antibodies received from an outside source (e.g. IV)

T cells

Lymphocytes involved primarily in cellular immune responses.

Cytotoxic T cells

T cells that destroy infected or abnormal cells.

Helper T cells (CD4+)

T cells that coordinate and activate other immune cells

Regulatory T cells

T cells that help prevent excessive immune responses

B cells

Lymphocytes that produce antibodies.

Antibodies

Proteins that specifically bind to antigens.

Humoral immunity

Immunity mediated by B cells and antibodies.

Cell-mediated immunity

Immunity primarily mediated by T cells.

IgG

The most abundant antibody; provides long-term protection and can cross the placenta.

IgA

An antibody found mainly in body secretions.

IgM

The first antibody commonly produced during an initial immune response.

IgE

An antibody associated with allergic and hypersensitivity reactions.

Hypersensitivity

An excessive or inappropriate immune response that can damage the body

Type I hypersensitivity

An immediate allergic reaction caused by IgE antibodies

Anaphylaxis

A severe, rapid allergic reaction that can affect multiple body systems and cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure

Type II hypersensitivity

Cytotoxic

An antibody-mediated reaction in which IgG or IgM antibodies target specific cells and cause their destruction through macrophage production

Type III hypersensitivity

An immune reaction caused by IgM/IgG complexes depositing in tissues and causing inflammation

Type IV hypersensitivity

A delayed immune reaction caused by T cells rather than antibodies.

Immunodeficiency

A weakened or impaired immune response.

Alloimmunity

An immune response against foreign tissue from another person, such as transplanted tissue.

Autoimmunity

When the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues.

Systemic lupus erythematosus

A chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and can affect many organs.
Deposition of immune complexes causing inflammation

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA’s)

Autoantibodies that attack substances found inside the body's own cells; commonly used when screening for lupus.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

A virus that attacks the immune system, especially CD4+ T cells.

AIDS

The advanced stage of HIV infection in which severe immune system damage has occurred.