What pathological condition results from abnormal mitotic activity within a tissue?
Solution
Correct Answer: Option B
The pathological condition that results from abnormal mitotic activity within a tissue is cancer.
- Mitosis is the process by which cells divide and reproduce. It is essential for normal growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues.
- When mitotic activity becomes uncontrolled or aberrant, it leads to excessive proliferation of cells.
- This unregulated cell division can result in the formation of a neoplasm or tumor, which is the hallmark of cancer.
- Unlike normal cells that follow strict regulatory signals controlling their growth and death, cancer cells bypass these regulatory mechanisms, leading to continuous division and accumulation.
- In contrast, other options like inflammation involve immune response, fibrosis refers to excessive connective tissue formation due to injury, and atrophy involves shrinkage or reduction in cell size or number, none of which primarily involve abnormal mitotic activity.
Therefore, the key pathological feature of cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled mitotic activity within tissues.
Reference: Robbins Basic Pathology, 10th Edition, Chapter 7: Neoplasia / Pages 200-220