Cell injury & Cell Death

Cell Injury

Cell injury refers to any biochemical or morphological alteration that impairs the ability of a cell to function normally.

Types of cell injury are-

1.      Mild,

2.      Transient,

3.      Reversible and

4.      Irreversible.

Reversible cell injury denotes pathologic changes that can be reversed when the stimulus is removed. Cell injury is reversible only up to certain point.

Irreversible cell injury denotes pathologic changes that are permanent and cannot be reversed to normal state.

For example: if the blood suply to cardiac muscles is cut off for 10-15 minutes- the myocardial cell experiences injury but it can recover to normal function when blood flow becomes normal, but

if the blood flow is cut off for longer period- the myocardial fiber dies.

Cell Death

Cell death refers to an irreversible condition in which the cell loses its integrity as a structural and functional unit at the point of no return.

Cell deaths biochemically and morphologically are of 2 types-

1.      Programmed cell death or Apoptosis and

2.      Accidental cell death.

Somatic death is the complete loss or cessation of vital functions of organs of the body.

Vital functions are respiration, urination, digestion, cardiac pump etc.

Programmed cell death or Apoptosis is the process of cell death in multicellular organisms due to genetic influence. For example, the separation of fingers and toes in a developing human embryo occurs because cells between the digits undergo apoptosis.

Accidental cell death results from acute cellular injury.

All Pathology Notes