General Pathology Principles Flashcards

Which type of necrosis is most characteristically associated with ischemic injury to the myocardium?

Answer: Coagulative necrosis

Ischemic injury to solid organs except the brain produces coagulative necrosis, where tissue architecture is preserved.

Apoptosis differs from necrosis primarily in that apoptosis:

Answer: Is energy-dependent and does not incite inflammation

Apoptosis is an ATP-dependent, programmed cell death that leaves the membrane intact and does not provoke inflammation.

Dystrophic calcification is best described as calcium deposition in:

Answer: Damaged or necrotic tissue with normal serum calcium

Dystrophic calcification occurs in previously injured or necrotic tissue despite normal serum calcium levels.

Which cellular adaptation refers to a decrease in cell size and number leading to reduced organ size?

Answer: Atrophy

Atrophy is a reduction in cell size and number, shrinking the tissue or organ.

The reversible cellular change of hydropic swelling results primarily from:

Answer: Failure of the Na+/K+ ATPase pump

Cellular swelling occurs when the Na+/K+ ATPase fails, causing sodium and water influx into the cell.

Free radical injury to cells is mediated most directly by:

Answer: Lipid peroxidation of membranes

Reactive oxygen species damage cells largely through peroxidation of membrane lipids.

Metaplasia of respiratory columnar epithelium to squamous epithelium in chronic smokers is best characterized as:

Answer: A reversible adaptive change to chronic irritation

Metaplasia is a reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another in response to chronic stress.