CELLULAR ADAPTATIONS
TO STRESS
BY:
DR:RANIA ALI OSMAN
Cells maintain their intracellular
environment within a narrow range of
physiologic parameters this is called normal
homeostasis
When cells affected by physiologic stresses
or pathologic stimuli, they may injured or
may adapted to injury.
Cell injury are tow types:
[Link] when the injury is limited and
cells return to a stable baseline
[Link] injury; when severe or persistent
stress results in death of the affected cells
Cell death has tow forms
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Adaptations :
Are reversible changes in the number, size,
phenotype, metabolic activity, or functions of
cells in response to changes in their
environment.
1. Physiologic adaptations
Responses of cells to normal stimulation by
hormones or endogenous chemical
mediators.
2. Pathologic adaptations
Responses to stress that allow cells to
modulate their structure and function and
thus escape injury.
The principal adaptive responses are:
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An increase in the size of cells resulting in
increase in the size of the organ.
No new cells, just bigger cells.
Occur by an increased amount of structural
proteins and organelles.
Occurs in cells that are incapable of dividing.
Can be physiologic or pathologic.
Example physiologic hypertrophy :
[Link] enlargement of the uterus
during pregnancy occurs as a consequence of
estrogen-stimulated smooth muscle
hypertrophy and smooth muscle hyperplasia .
2. Striated muscle cells in both the skeletal
muscle and the heart can undergo only
hypertrophy in response to increased
demand.
Example of pathologic hypertrophy
[Link] enlargement that occurs with
hypertension or aortic valve disease.
[Link]
Characterized by an increase in cell number.
Is an adaptive response in cells that are
capable of replication.
Can be physiologic or pathologic.
The two types of physiologic hyperplasia are
(1) Hormonal hyperplasia:
e.g proliferation of the glandular epithelium
of the female breast at puberty and during
pregnancy.
(2) Compensatory hyperplasia:
occurs when a portion of the tissue is
removed,e.g if liver is partially resected,
remaining cells eventually restoring the liver
to its normal weight.
Pathologic hyperplasia:
Caused by excessive hormonal or growth
factor stimulation.
e.g; endometrial hyperplasia which occur
when balance between estrogen and
progesterone is disturbed which lead to
abnormal menstrual bleeding.
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Shrinkage in the size of the cell by the loss
of cell substance, then the entire tissue or
organ diminishes in size.
Atrophy results from decreased protein
synthesis and increased protein degradation
in cells.
Atrophic cells may have diminished function,
they are not dead.
Causes of atrophy:
[Link] workload (e.g. immobilization
of a limb)
[Link] of innervation
3. Diminished blood supply
4. Inadequate nutrition
5. Loss of endocrine stimulation
[Link] (senile atrophy).
[Link]
Is a reversible change in which one adult cell
type (epithelial or mesenchymal) is replaced
by another adult cell type.
Arise by genetic "reprogramming" of stem
cells rather than transdifferentiation of
already differentiated cells.
May predispose to malignant
transformation.
Examples of metaplasia:
[Link] change that occurs in the
ciliated columnar respiratory epithelium in
habitual cigarette smokers .
2. Vitamin A deficiency may also induce
squamous metaplasia in the respiratory
epithelium.
3. Normal stratified squamous epithelium of
the lower esophagus may undergo
metaplastic transformation to gastric or
intestinal-type columnar epithelium due to
acid effect.
