Pathophysiology: Cell Injury, Neoplasia, Homeostasis, and Stress Response

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated from pathophysiology study guide notes covering cellular injury, neoplasia, homeostasis, and stress response mechanisms.

Atrophy

A cellular adaptation characterized by a decrease in cell size.

Hypertrophy

A cellular adaptation characterized by an increase in cell size.

Hyperplasia

A cellular adaptation characterized by an increase in the number of cells.

Metaplasia

A cellular adaptation in which an adult cell type is replaced by another adult cell type.

Dysplasia

Deranged cell growth of a specific tissue.

Dystrophic Calcification

Pathologic calcification that occurs in dead or dying tissue.

Metastatic Calcification

Pathologic calcification that occurs in normal tissue.

Mechanisms of Cellular Injury Pathways

Diagram showing three primary pathways of cellular injury from injurious agents: free radical formation ($O_2^-$, $H_2O_2$, $OH^{\bullet}$) causing oxidation of cell structures and DNA; hypoxia/ischemia leading to ATP depletion; and increased intracellular calcium ($\text{Ca}^{++}$) causing inappropriate enzyme activation, cell organelle/membrane damage, chromatin fragmentation, and accelerated ATP depletion.

Hypoxic Cell Injury

Cellular injury caused by deprivation of oxygen, which interrupts oxidative metabolism and the generation of ATP.

Reversible Cell Injury

Cellular damage that impairs cell function but does not result in cell death.

Gangrene

A term applied when a considerable mass of tissue undergoes necrosis.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that is a component of normal tissue renewal and repair.

Necrosis

Irreversible cell death affecting a tissue or organ.

Stem Cell Properties

The two key properties of stem cells: self-renewal (ability to divide while maintaining an undifferentiated state) and potency (ability to differentiate into specialized cell types).

Characteristics of Benign vs. Malignant Neoplasms

Summary table comparing benign tumors (well-differentiated, slow orderly growth, encapsulated, non-metastatic, limited lifespan) and malignant tumors (poorly differentiated or anaplastic, rapid chaotic invasive growth, non-encapsulated, metastatic via blood/lymph/seedling, unlimited lifespan, capable of angiogenesis).

Anaplasia

Poorly differentiated or undifferentiated cells characteristic of malignant tumors.

Angiogenesis

The process by which malignant tumors form their own blood supply.

Adenoma

A benign tumor of glandular epithelial tissue.

Adenocarcinoma

A malignant tumor of glandular epithelial tissue.

Carcinoma

A malignant tumor of epithelial tissue.

Papilloma

A benign tumor of epithelial tissue.

Sarcoma

A malignant tumor of mesenchymal origin.

Osteoma

A benign tumor of bone tissue.

TNM Classification System

A tumor staging and grading method that focuses on Tumor size and type ($T$), Lymph Node involvement ($N$), and Metastasis ($M$).

Negative Feedback Mechanism

A homeostatic mechanism in which the body counteracts a change in a monitored function (e.g., raising low blood sugar or lowering high blood sugar) to maintain internal stability.

Positive Feedback Mechanism

A homeostatic mechanism where the body's response amplifies or reinforces the original change.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Selye's model of the stress response consisting of three sequential stages: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Neurohormonal Response to Stress Table

Matching table detailing hormone functions during stress: Catecholamines (cardiac stimulation for fight or flight, $\uparrow \text{HR}, \text{BP}, \text{RR}$), Cortisol (raises blood sugar and reduces immune response), Growth Hormone (reduced production causes growth suppression), Thyroid (affects metabolism, causes fatigue/weight gain), Reproductive Hormone (impaired reproduction), ADH (water reabsorption in kidneys), Aldosterone (sodium retention in kidney), and Angiotensin (raises blood pressure via vasoconstriction).

Physiologic Responses to Stress Checklist

Checklist highlighting physical manifestations of stress: decreased wound healing, increased glucose metabolism, dilated pupils, increased respiratory rate, increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, mood changes, muscle tension, and infertility in males and females.

PTSD Characteristics and Stress Treatments

Overview detailing PTSD symptoms (Intrusion: flashbacks; Avoidance: numbing; Hyperarousal: anger outburst) and healthy nursing approaches to manage stress (lifestyle, therapy, social support, addressing coping mechanisms, and promoting positive coping mechanisms).

Catecholamines

Hormones that provide cardiac stimulation to prepare the body for a fight or flight response ($\uparrow \text{HR}, \text{BP}, \text{RR}$) during stress.

Cortisol

A glucocorticoid hormone released during stress that raises blood sugar and reduces the immune response.

Aldosterone

A hormone released during stress that causes retention of sodium in the kidneys.

Angiotensin

A hormone activated during stress that raises blood pressure through vasoconstriction.