General Pathology: Cellular Injury, Necrosis, Hemodynamics, and Inflammation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards reviewing general pathology topics including cellular degeneration, patterns of necrosis, endogenous and exogenous pigments, hemodynamic disturbances, wound healing, nutritional deficiencies, and inflammatory exudates.

Cloudy Swelling

An early, reversible cellular injury resulting from protein degeneration and fluid accumulation that causes affected cells to appear swollen and granular.

Hydropic Degeneration

Severe intracellular swelling characterized by large, clear cytoplasmic fluid vacuoles, characteristic of epithelial lesions such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD).

Hyaline Degeneration

A form of cellular injury characterized histologically by a glossy, glassy, homogeneous pink (eosinophilic) appearance of intracellular or extracellular protein accumulations.

Fibrinoid Degeneration

A type of degenerative vascular and connective tissue change characterized by the accumulation and insudation of fibrin and plasma proteins into damaged vessel walls.

Mucinous Degeneration

Degenerative accumulation of mucin-like mucopolysaccharide matrix within tissues or cells, giving them a gelatinous or stringy histological appearance.

Amyloid Degeneration

Extracellular deposition of pathological fibrillar proteins that appear pale homogeneous pink on H&E (without glassiness) and stain positively with Congo red stain.

Glycogen Degeneration

Abnormal intracellular accumulation of glycogen, giving cytoplasm a hazy, indistinct border while characteristically keeping the nucleus centrally positioned.

Fatty Degeneration

The abnormal accumulation of neutral lipid droplets within the cytoplasm of parenchymal cells, causing pale, enlarged, rounded organs gross-wise.

Dystrophic Calcification

Deposition of calcium mineral salts into injured, degenerated, or dead tissues despite normal systemic blood calcium levels.

Metastatic Calcification

Deposition of mineral calcium salts into previously normal, uninjured tissues secondary to hypercalcemia or disturbed calcium-phosphate metabolism.

Apoptosis

Programmed, energy-dependent single-cell death characterized by cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, apoptotic body formation, and absent adjacent inflammation.

Coagulative Necrosis

A pattern of tissue necrosis where basic architectural outlines remain preserved for days, while nuclear details are lost via karyolysis and pyknosis.

Karyolysis

The complete enzymatic dissolution and fading of the basophilic chromatin of a dying cell's nucleus during necrosis.

Caseous Necrosis

A form of necrosis producing friable, cheese-like debris consisting of a central necrotic core with mineralization, encapsulated by a proliferative inflammatory zone.

Liquefactive Necrosis

A pattern of necrosis where rapid enzymatic dissolution digests dead tissue into a viscous, fluid mass, leaving empty spaces after histologic clearing.

Fat Necrosis

Enzymatic destruction of adipose tissue leading to saponification with calcium, producing chalky white opaque lesions, commonly seen in peripancreatic fat and duodenum.

Zenker's Necrosis

Severe coagulative hyaline necrosis specifically affecting striated skeletal muscle fibers.

Gangrene

Necrosis of distal tissue or extremity following loss of blood supply, classified as dry gangrene (with crusting and mummification) or moist gangrene (with bacterial liquefaction).

Anthracosis

The asymptomatic accumulation of inhaled exogenous black carbon or coal dust pigments within macrophages and tissues.

Tattoo Pigment

Exogenous insoluble carbon or coloring pigments intentionally introduced and permanently engulfed by macrophages in the dermal layer of the skin.

Carotenosis

Deposition and accumulation of lipid-soluble carotenoid plant pigments within adipose tissue and epithelial structures, imparting a yellowish hue.

Tetracycline Discoloration

Yellow to brownish permanent staining of developing teeth and bones resulting from antibiotic incorporation into calcifying dentin and enamel.

Hyperpigmentation

Excessive accumulation of endogenous melanin pigments within epidermal cells or dermal melanophages, producing darkened skin.

Hypopigmentation

Absence or reduction of melanin pigment synthesis in the skin or hair, as observed in albinism or nutritional copper deficiency.

Lipofuscin

An endogenous 'wear-and-tear' pigment of brownish-yellow color composed of oxidized lipids and proteins accumulated in aging or chronically injured cells.

Methemoglobinemia

A condition in which hemoglobin is oxidized from $Fe^{2+}$ to the $Fe^{3+}$ ferric state, unable to bind oxygen and turning circulating blood chocolate brown.

Parasite Hematin

An iron-containing black-brown pigment produced by hematophagous parasites digesting host hemoglobin, accumulating prominently in the liver or lungs.

Hemosiderin

A coarse golden-yellow to brown intracellular iron-storage pigment formed by aggregated ferritin molecules following erythrocyte destruction.

Icterus (Jaundice)

Yellow-orange pigmentation of sclera, mucous membranes, and tissues resulting from elevated concentrations of circulating bilirubin.

Porphyria

A congenital or acquired metabolic disorder of heme synthesis that leads to the accumulation of porphyrins, causing pink to brownish-red tooth discoloration.

Visceral Gout

Precipitation and accumulation of white, chalky monosodium urate crystals across visceral serosal surfaces, including the pericardium, liver, and kidneys.

Hyperemia

An active vascular process resulting in arteriolar dilation and increased oxygenated blood flow, producing bright red tissue discoloration.

Congestion

A passive vascular process caused by impaired venous drainage, leading to accumulation of deoxygenated blood and cyanotic or dark red tissues.

Hemorrhage

Extravasation of red blood cells from the vascular lumen into extravascular tissue spaces or external body surfaces.

Thrombosis

The formation of an intravascular solid blood mass (thrombus) composed of fibrin, platelets, and entrapped red blood cells exhibiting alternating pale and dark lines of Zahn.

Embolus

A detached intravascular solid, liquid, or gas mass carried through the bloodstream to a distant site where it may cause vascular obstruction.

Infarction

An area of ischemic coagulative necrosis resulting from sudden obstruction of arterial blood supply or venous outflow, often wedge-shaped with a distinct border.

Ascites

Pathological accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity.

Pulmonary Edema

Excessive accumulation of fluid in the pulmonary interstitial spaces and alveoli, histologically appearing as pale pink fluid filling the alveolar lumens.

Pulmonary Anthracosis

Pneumoconiosis characterized by the accumulation of inhaled black carbon particles in alveolar spaces and peribronchiolar macrophages.

Silicosis

A form of pneumoconiosis caused by inhaling silicon dioxide dust, inducing concentric collagenous fibrotic nodules in the pulmonary parenchyma.

Asbestosis

Diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis caused by inhaled asbestos fibers, characterized histologically by asbestos bodies with knobby ends and pleural plaques.

Rodenticide Toxicity

Poisoning by anticoagulant or neurotoxic rodent control agents, clinically presenting with tetanic extension and classic 'saw horse' stance in animals.

Aflatoxicosis

Mycotoxicosis induced by consuming aflatoxin-contaminated feed, causing hepatomegaly, rounded liver lobes, and rectal eversion.

Contusion

A blunt-force trauma injury that causes subcutaneous capillary rupture and bleeding without disrupting the integrity of the overlying skin (bruise).

Abrasion

A superficial scrape injury involving mechanical loss or shedding of the skin's epithelial surface layer due to friction.

Laceration

A ragged, irregular wound tearing through soft tissues produced by blunt impacts or stretching forces.

Incision

A clean-edged linear wound produced by a sharp-edged cutting instrument, displaying smooth margins.

Puncture Wound

A deep, narrow penetrating wound caused by a sharp, pointed object extending into underlying deep structures.

Adenoma

A benign neoplasm derived from glandular epithelium.

Papilloma

A benign epithelial growth characterized by finger-like, exophytic projections from skin or mucosal surfaces.

Fibroma

A benign mesenchymal tumor composed of well-differentiated fibrous connective tissue and mature fibroblasts.

Carcinoma

A malignant neoplasm arising from epithelial cell origin capable of local invasion and metastasis.

Melanoma

A malignant neoplasm derived from melanocytes, typically containing dense aggregates of dark melanin granules.

Labile Cells

Continuously dividing cells that regularly cycle to regenerate and replace destroyed surface cells throughout normal life.

Stable Cells

Quiescent cells that normally have a low rate of division but can rapidly enter the cell cycle to regenerate in response to injury.

Permanent Cells

Terminally differentiated, post-mitotic cells that cannot divide to regenerate lost tissue, such as neurons and cardiac myocytes.

Angiogenesis

The physiological process by which new capillaries sprout from pre-existing blood vessels during tissue healing and inflammation.

Granulation Tissue

Newly forming vascularized repair tissue composed of proliferating capillary loops, fibroblasts, and infiltrating leukocytes.

Keloid

An exuberant scar characterized by excessive collagen deposition that extends beyond the original wound boundary.

Starvation

Severe chronic caloric restriction resulting in the extreme wasting of adipose depots and skeletal musculature.

Vitamin C Deficiency

Nutritional lack of ascorbic acid leading to defective collagen synthesis, fragile blood vessels, periodontal disease, and osteoporosis.

Vitamin B Deficiency

Deficiency in B vitamins producing neurological signs including 'star gazing' and 'dog sitting' postures in affected animals.

Vitamin B6 Deficiency

Pyridoxine deficiency characterized by mucosal and dermal pathology including seborrheic dermatitis and cheilosis.

Xerophthalmia

Severe progressive dryness and corneal opacity caused by nutritional vitamin A deficiency.

Hypertrophic Osteopathy

Periosteal new bone proliferation and bone enlargement that can be triggered by excessive vitamin A intake.

Rickets

Defective mineralization and widening of the epiphyseal growth plates in immature, growing animals due to vitamin D or phosphorus deficiency.

Brown Dog Gut

Intestinal lipofuscinosis resulting from vitamin E deficiency, causing dark brown or chocolate discoloration of the intestinal muscularis.

Milk Fever

Severe acute hypocalcemia around parturition in cattle (termed eclampsia in canines), causing flaccid paralysis and recumbency.

Big Head Disease

Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism caused by dietary hyperphosphatemia and calcium imbalance, leading to osteodystrophy in horses.

Fluorine Deficiency

Nutritional mineral deficiency causing dull, chalky, brittle, and cracked enamel on teeth.

Zinc Deficiency

Trace mineral deficiency causing hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, and crusty, scaling dermatitis in animals.

Inflammatory Edema

Extravasation of protein-rich fluid exudate into interstitial spaces resulting from increased vascular endothelial permeability.

Chemotaxis

Unidirectional migration of leukocytes toward the site of tissue injury along an established chemical chemoattractant gradient.

Phagocytosis

The active cellular ingestion and breakdown of microbes, necrotic cellular debris, and foreign particles by specialized leukocytes.

Granulomatous Inflammation

A chronic pattern of inflammation characterized by focal collections of activated macrophages, epithelioid cells, and giant cells surrounded by lymphocytes and fibrosis.

Catarrhal Inflammation

An acute inflammatory response of mucous membranes characterized by copious mucus and mucin discharge.

Serous Inflammation

An exudative inflammatory response marked by the accumulation of thin, watery, relatively protein-poor fluid, such as skin vesicles or blisters.

Fibrinous Inflammation

An exudative inflammatory response characterized by severe vascular leakage permitting large fibrinogen molecules to exit and form thick, elastic fibrin coats on serosal surfaces.

Suppurative Inflammation

Purulent inflammation characterized by massive recruitment of viable and degenerate neutrophils, liquefactive necrosis, and pus formation.