Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids and whole bodies (autopsy). The term also encompasses the related scientific study of disease processes, called general pathology. Medical pathology is divided in two main branches, anatomical pathology and clinical pathology. Veterinary pathology is concerned with animal disease whereas phytopathology is the study of plant diseases.
   General pathology, also called investigative pathology, experimental pathology or theoretical pathology, is a broad and complex scientific field which seeks to understand the mechanisms of injury to cells and tissues, as well as the body's means of responding to and repairing injury. Areas of study include cellular adaptation to injury, necrosis, inflammation, wound healing and neoplasia. It forms the foundation of pathology, the application of this knowledge to diagnose diseases in humans and animals.The term "general pathology" is also used to describe the practice of both anatomical and clinical pathology.