Cell Injury and Death Mechanisms

📋 Course Outline

1. Cell responses to stress and injury
2. Causes of cell injury
3. Reversible injury and cell death
4. Necrosis patterns and biomarkers
5. Apoptosis pathways and morphology
6. Autophagy and necroptosis
7. Oxidative stress and membrane damage
8. Hypoxia and reperfusion injury
9. Chemical, infectious, and immune injury
10. Cellular adaptations to stress
11. Intracellular accumulations and pigments
12. Calcification and cellular aging

📖 1. Cell responses to stress and injury

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Homeostasis : Homeostasis is the steady functional state that a normal cell maintains despite physiologic demands and constraints from its surroundings.
• Adaptation : Adaptation is a reversible change in function and structure that lets a cell survive a stress when limits are not exceeded.
• Cell injury : Cell injury is the progression of cellular dysfunction that occurs when stress exceeds adaptive limits, critical nutrients are lacking, or essential functions are impaired.
• Reversible cell injury : Reversible cell injury is early or mild damage where structural and functional alterations can be corrected if the injurious stimulus stops.
• Irreversible injury : Irreversible injury is persistent or severe damage that passes beyond a repair limit and leads to cell death.

📝 Essential Points