Pseudomembranous colitis

• It's called pseudomembranous because the crud on the mucosa looks like a membrane, but it's really mucus, inflammatory debris and necrotic cells.
• A true membrane is something with real structural components.
• Epithelium
• Connective tissue
• The C. difficile lives in the lumen.
• The toxins affect the epithelium.
• A promotes active fluid loss.
• B kills the cells.
• Here we see
• Areas of ulceration
• Lots of inflammation in the mucus covering the epithelium