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1. What is Degeneration?
"A tissue and a cell can theoretically be considered to change their own biological characters by manufacturing small vesicles." Let us check this definition through three steps. First of all, pay attention to the difference between degeneration and other two major pathological changes: inflammation and tumorigenesis. Then, check the special characteristics of small vesicles that can be seen in a tissue with degeneration. Lastly, by using the indications obtained in the previous two steps, let us ascertain the definition of degeneration.
(a) Difference between Degeneration and Other Two Pathological Changes
Degeneration differs in pathological change from inflammation and tumorigenesis. Inflammation and tumorigenesis are pathological changes related to cells: the smallest dynamic systems in a human body. On the other hand, degeneration is a pathologic change related to small vesicles: the smallest static systems in a human body. In this sense, degeneration can be considered to quite differ in pathological change from other two major pathological changes: inflammation and tumorigenesis. |
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(b) Three Important Points of Degeneration
The conclusion above allows us to indicate three important points about degeneration as follows.
First, degeneration can be considered a primitive pathological change compared with inflammation and tumorigenesis. Degeneration is a pathological change related to static systems: small vesicles. In addition, static systems: small vesicles are generally more primitive than dynamic systems: cells. Thus, it can be concluded that degeneration is a primitive pathological change compared with inflammation and tumorigenesis.
Second, a tissue can be considered to cause degeneration only when it cannot control the condition by causing inflammation or by transforming itself into a tumor cell. Inflammation and tumorigenesis are pathological changes related to dynamic systems (cells), and can occur quickly compared with degeneration. In contrast, degeneration is a pathological change related to static systems (small vesicles), and occurs slowly more than inflammation and tumorigenesis. This reveals that a tissue causes degeneration when it cannot control its environment by causing inflammation or by causing a tumor.
Third, theoretical analysis of degeneration is unnecessary for us to analyze tumorigenesis. Degeneration is a pathological change related to static systems, and completely differs in pathological change from inflammation and tumorigenesis. The reason for this enables us to indicate that degeneration is a pathological change different from inflammation and tumorigenesis, and occurs regardless of inflammation and tumorigenesis. That, we can analyze tumorigenesis without considering how a tissue causes degeneration. |
