Page 17 - Concise Pathology for Exam Preparation ( PDFDrive )

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Cell Injury and Cell Death

Q. Define pathology.

Ans. Pathology is the branch of medical science that deals with the study of morphologic
(structural) changes caused by disease in cells, tissues, organs, body fluids or whole body
(autopsy pathology) . It is derived from the words logos (study) and pathos (suffering).

Q. What are the four aspects of a disease that form the core of
pathology?
Ans. Disease process is studied under different headings as shown in Flowchart 1.1.

Disease
I
i i
Cause Mechanism of Structural Functional
(Aetiology) development alterations consequences
(Pathogenesis) induced in cells of morphologic
(Morphologic changes (Clinical
changes) significance)
FLOWCHART 1.1. Different aspects that form the core of patho logic basis of disease.

Q. What are the two main branches of pathology?
Ans. The two main branches of pathology are
1. General pathology: Study of basic, common reactions of cells and tissues to abnormal
stimuli that underlie all diseases, eg, response to acute inflammation which is similar
irrespective of the type of tissue.
2. Systemic pathology: Study of specific responses of specialized organs and tissues to
abnormal stimuli, eg, response to organ-specific diseases like myocardial infarction .

Q. Define homeostasis.
Ans. When a cell is able to handle the normal physiologic demands, maintaining a steady
state, it is said to be in homeostasis.

Q. Define cellular adaptation.

Ans. Excessive physiologic stress or pathologic stimuli bring about reversible functional
and morphologic changes, pushing a normal cell into an altered, but steady state called
cellular adaptation (Flowchart 1.2).

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