Veterinary Pathology Definitions

Necrosis	Is karyolysis characteristic of necrosis or apoptosis?
Necrosis	Is pyknosis characteristic of necrosis or apoptosis?
Necrosis	Breakdown of cellular components after cell death
Adenoma	Benign epithelial neoplasms of glandular origin
Agenesis	Complete absence of tissue / organ development
Anaplasia	Failure to differentiate (NOT dedifferentiation). A change in the character of a cell type such that it appears more primitive. An irreversible change associated with malignancy
Aneuploidy	Chromosomal problems. Variation in chromosome number involving one or a small number of chromosomes; commonly involves the gain or loss of a single chromosome
Angiogenesis	Development of new blood vessels
Anthracosis	Form of pneumoconiosis involving carbon in the lung
Antigenic	Being able to induce an antibody response
Aplasia	Rudimentary nodule of tissue representing organ, but it never developed into functioning organ
Apoptosis	Active cell death
Arthrogryposis	Rigid fixation of the joints; usually in flexion but occasionally in extension
Atresia	Failure of opening to develop & become/remain patent
Atrophy	A reduction in tissue mass or volume. Loss of cell can produce gross appearance of this
Atypia	State of being not typical
Autolysis	Breakdown of tissues after the death of animal
Autophagy	Digestion of the cell's own organelles
Benign	Not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive (especially of a tumor)
Bilirubin	Product of hemoglobin catabolism. Pigment responsible for yellow discoloration of tissues
Biliverdin	Intermediary product in formation of bilirubin - a bile pigment
Calcinosis	The formation of calcium deposits in any soft tissue
Cancer	Any malignant neoplasm
Carcinomas	Naming of malignant tumors of epithelial origin
Caseous necrosis	Necrotic lesion that has a crumbly cheese appearance