Causes of Atrophy and Hypertrophy

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Non-neoplasia. A: Normal cells, B: Atrophy, C:...

Non-neoplasia. A: Normal cells, B: Atrophy, C: Hyperplasia, D: Hypertrophy, E: Metaplasia and F: Dysplasia. Hematoxylin eosino staining. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What is Atrophy?

Atrophy is a type of cellular adaptation. It is generally a reversible process.

  • Atrophy is a decrease in the size of a cell or tissue.
  • The decreased size of a cell or tissue results in decreased oxygen consumption.
  • The metabolic needs of the cells get reduced.
  • The overall efficiency of the cell function gets increased.
  • Atrophy is irreversible if it is caused by nervous innervation of the tissues.
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Causes of Atrophy:

  • Prolonged bed rest
  • Disuse of limbs
  • Disuse of tissues
  • Poor nutrition of the tissues
  • Ischemia

What is Hypertrophy?

Hypertrophy is a kind of cellular adaptation in response to the changes in the surrounding fluid environment, when the cells are exposed to the numerous stimuli.

  • In hypertrophy, there will be an increase in the cell size.
  • Tissue mass also increases in hypertrophy.
  • If there is an increase in the workload to a cell or a tissue, hypertrophy occurs.
  • Hypertrophy occurs in tissues that cannot increase cell number as an adaptive response.
  • It may be a normal physiological response, such as increase in cell mass as seen with exercise.
  • It may also be pathologic as in case of cardiac hypertrophy, which is seen with prolonged hypertension.
  • It may also be a compensatory process. When one kidney is removed, the other kidney hypertrophies to increase the functional capacity.
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