Growth Adaptations, Cellular Injury, and Cell Death Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of cellular adaptations including hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia, atrophy, aplasia, and hypoplasia based on the lecture material.

Hyperplasia

A reversible increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ, which can be physiologic or pathologic; pathologic forms can progress to dysplasia and cancer.

Metaplasia

A reversible change in cell type resulting from the reprogramming of tissue stem cells in response to cellular stress, which mostly affects surface epithelium and can progress to dysplasia and cancer.

Dysplasia

Reversible disordered cell growth characterized by the proliferation of precancerous cells; it typically arises from longstanding pathologic hyperplasia or metaplasia and can progress to cancer if persistent.

Atrophy

A decrease in organ size occurring via a reduction in cell number (through apoptosis) or cell size (through ubiquitin-proteasome degradation of the cytoskeleton and autophagy of cellular components).

Aplasia

The failure of cell production during embryogenesis, resulting in the absence of an organ (e.g., unilateral renal agenesis).

Hypoplasia

A decrease in cell production during embryogenesis that results in a smaller-than-normal organ (e.g., streak ovary in Turner syndrome).

Permanent Cells

Cells such as cardiac myocytes, skeletal muscle cells, and neurons that cannot undergo hyperplasia and undergo hypertrophy only.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

A form of pathologic hyperplasia that is an exception to the rule because it does not increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Apocrine Metaplasia

A specific type of metaplasia seen during fibrocystic changes in the breast that does not increase the risk of breast cancer.

Barrett's Esophagus

A classic example of metaplasia occurring from chronic gastroesophageal reflux, where normal esophageal squamous epithelium changes to columnar epithelium.

Myositis Ossificans

A form of mesenchymal tissue metaplasia in which skeletal muscle inflammation leads to the transformation of muscle into bony tissue.

Keratomalacia

Metaplasia and thickening of the delicate conjunctival epithelial cells in the eye caused by Vitamin A deficiency.

Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

A classic clinical example of dysplasia involving disordered proliferation of precancerous epithelial cells in the cervix.