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The hidden world of necrosis: How does it affect our bodies?
In medicine, the word "necrosis" comes from ancient Greek and refers to the phenomenon of premature cell death due to various reasons. Its occurrence is not only the loss of cells, but also a hidden crisis within the body. According to historical records, this term was proposed by German pathologist Rudolf Virchow around the mid-19th century, and it has a history of 145 years. Understanding the mechanism of necrosis and its impact is of great significance to our health and life.
Necrosis is cell death caused by external factors, such as infection, trauma, etc., which leads to uncontrolled digestion of cellular components.
The necrotic process is usually associated with an inflammatory response. Once the cells die, their contents are released into the extracellular fluid, triggering an inflammatory response in the surrounding tissue. This reaction attracts white blood cells and phagocytes, which remove the dead cells. However, these inflammatory substances may also cause devastating damage to adjacent healthy tissue. The accumulation of dead tissue and cellular debris can greatly hinder the body's ability to repair itself.
Classification and phenotypes of necrosis
According to different characteristics, necrosis can be divided into many forms, mainly including:
- Coagulative necrosis: A type of necrosis that commonly occurs in cells exposed to low oxygen levels, such as in the heart and kidneys.
- Liquefaction necrosis: This type of necrosis is often seen in bacterial or fungal infections, resulting in accumulation of pus.
- Dry necrosis: Commonly seen in ischemic conditions of the lower limbs, manifested as dry, mummified tissue damage.
- Case necrosis: special necrosis caused by chronic diseases such as tuberculosis, white granular tissue visible to the naked eye.
- Fat necrosis: mainly occurs in the pancreas, caused by the activation of lipase, leading to the collapse of adipose tissue.
- Fibrin necrosis: It is usually caused by immune-mediated damage to blood vessels, especially inside the arterial wall.
The characteristics of necrosis depend on the mode of cell death and can be divided into two major types: microscopic and macroscopic.
The pathophysiological mechanism of necrosis involves not only structural changes in cells, but also changes at the molecular level. For example, after necrosis, the cell membrane will appear discontinuous, which is caused by cell swelling and vesicle phenomenon. Scholars point out that the necrotic tissue usually observed visually may be accompanied by various changes in microscopic histology.
Causes of necrosis
The factors that cause necrosis can be divided into external and internal causes:
External factors- Mechanical trauma: direct external force that causes damage to cell structure.
- Electric shock: can cause cells to lose their normal functions or even die.
- Chemical trauma: For example, cell damage caused by direct contact with acidic and alkaline substances.
Internal factors include tissue ischemia and lack of oxygen due to pathological changes. For example, if a heart patient suffers a sudden myocardial infarction, he or she will face rapid necrosis of heart cells.
Treatment of necrosisSpecific forms of necrosis, such as putrefactive necrosis, are caused by poor venous blood supply within the tissue.
Treatment of necrosis usually relies on determining the underlying cause of the necrosis. Treatment methods mainly include:
- Surgical debridement: Surgery to remove dead tissue and promote the repair of healthy tissue.
- Use antibiotics: to prevent and treat secondary infections caused by necrotic tissue.
- Antioxidant therapy: Intervene in necrosis caused by ischemia.
In some cases, the use of fly maggots to clean out dead tissue has also been shown to be effective for certain conditions. Furthermore, since necrotic tissue is not spontaneously cleared by the body's immune system, external means must be relied upon to promote the repair process.
Conclusion
After understanding necrosis and its impact on health, perhaps we can reflect to some extent on the fragility of life and the possibility of recovery. Necrosis is not only a pathological aspect, but also reveals the body's strong response and self-healing potential during the pathological process. Can we better find the dawn of hope in the face of necrosis?
