Pathology Inflammatory cells and gaint cells and the inflammatory process

1. Inflammatory Cells, Giant Cells,
and the Inflammatory Process

2. Introduction
• - Inflammation: A protective response to
eliminate the cause of injury and initiate
repair.
• - Types: Acute and Chronic

3. Inflammatory Cells
• - Polymorphonuclear cells (Neutrophils)
• - Mononuclear cells:
• • Monocytes/macrophages
• • Lymphocytes (T, B, NK cells)
• • Plasma cells
• - Eosinophils
• - Basophils
• - Mast cells

4. Giant Cells
• - Formed by fusion of macrophages.
• - Types:
• • Langhans giant cells – tuberculosis
• • Foreign body giant cells – around foreign
material
• • Touton giant cells – lipid-laden (xanthomas)
• • Osteoclasts – bone resorption
• • Aschoff cells – rheumatic fever

5. Acute Inflammation
• - Features:
• • Rapid onset
• • Neutrophilic infiltration
• - Stages:
• • Vasodilation
• • Increased vascular permeability
• • Emigration of neutrophils
• • Phagocytosis

6. Chronic Inflammation
• - Features:
• • Long duration
• • Mononuclear cell infiltration
• • Tissue destruction and repair
• - Seen in TB, autoimmune diseases, chronic
infections

7. Steps in Inflammatory Process
• 1. Recognition of injury
• 2. Recruitment of inflammatory cells
• 3. Removal of agent (phagocytosis)
• 4. Regulation and resolution
• 5. Repair

8. Illustrative Diagrams
• - Diagram of acute inflammation
• - Types of giant cells
• - Acute vs. chronic inflammation

9. Summary
• - Key inflammatory cells and their functions
• - Pathological importance of giant cells
• - Inflammatory process: from injury to repair

10. References
• - Robbins Basic Pathology
• - Lecture Notes
• - Relevant journal articles