Hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component
cells.
It is distinguished from
hyperplasia, in which the cells remain approximately the same size but increase in number.
[Updated by Linda J. Vorvick. 8/14/1]
Hyperplasia
/ref> Although hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two distinct processes, they frequently occur together, such as in the case of the hormonally
A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required fo ...
-induced proliferation and enlargement of the cells of the uterus
The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The uter ...
during pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...
.
Eccentric hypertrophy is a type of hypertrophy where the walls and chamber of a hollow organ undergo growth in which the overall size and volume are enlarged. It is applied especially to the left ventricle
A ventricle is one of two large chambers toward the bottom of the heart that collect and expel blood towards the peripheral beds within the body and lungs. The blood pumped by a ventricle is supplied by an atrium, an adjacent chamber in the uppe ...
of heart. Sarcomere
A sarcomere (Greek σάρξ ''sarx'' "flesh", μέρος ''meros'' "part") is the smallest functional unit of striated muscle tissue. It is the repeating unit between two Z-lines. Skeletal muscles are composed of tubular muscle cells (called mus ...
s are added in series, as for example in dilated cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and cannot pump blood effectively. Symptoms vary from none to feeling tired, leg swelling, and shortness of breath. It may also result in chest pain or fainting. Co ...
(in contrast to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, or HOCM when obstructive) is a condition in which the heart becomes thickened without an obvious cause. The parts of the heart most commonly affected are the interventricular septum and the ventricles. This r ...
, a type of concentric hypertrophy
Concentric hypertrophy is a hypertrophic growth of a hollow organ without overall enlargement, in which the walls of the organ are thickened and its capacity or volume is diminished.
Sarcomeres are added in parallel, as for example occurs in hy ...
, where sarcomeres are added in parallel).
Gallery
File:*+ * Photographic documentation on sexual education - Hypertrophy of breast - Nude of an elderly woman around 1870 - Photographer unknown - Public domain, since the copyright has expired;.jpg, Hypertrophy of breast
The breast is one of two prominences located on the upper ventral region of a primate's torso. Both females and males develop breasts from the same embryological tissues.
In females, it serves as the mammary gland, which produces and secret ...
, c. 1870
File:Hypertrophied clitoris.jpg, Hypertrophy of the clitoris
File:Feet from a case of partial hypertrophy of the foot Wellcome L0061374.jpg, Hypertrophy of the foot, partial
File:Ipertrofia miocardica.jpg, Forensic post-mortem examination of a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, or HOCM when obstructive) is a condition in which the heart becomes thickened without an obvious cause. The parts of the heart most commonly affected are the interventricular septum and the ventricles. This r ...
, showing thickening of the cardiac muscle
Cardiac muscle (also called heart muscle, myocardium, cardiomyocytes and cardiac myocytes) is one of three types of vertebrate muscle tissues, with the other two being skeletal muscle and smooth muscle. It is an involuntary, striated muscle th ...
File:Head of a boy with hypertrophy of the ear Wellcome L0062496.jpg, Hypertrophy of the ear (macrotia
Macrotia refers to an ear that is larger than would be expected. The normal auricular axis
An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to:
Mathematics
* Axis of rotation: s ...
)
File:Kidney hypertrophy Wellcome L0005308.jpg, Kidney hypertrophy
File:Lip hypertrophy.jpg, Hypertrophy of the upper lip
File:Face of man with hypertrophy of the temporal muscles Wellcome L0062508.jpg, Hypertrophy of the temporal muscles
See also
* Athlete's heart
Athletic heart syndrome (AHS) is a non-pathological condition commonly seen in sports medicine in which the human heart is enlarged, and the resting heart rate is lower than normal.
The athlete's heart is associated with physiological cardiac ...
* Ventricular hypertrophy
Ventricular hypertrophy (VH) is thickening of the walls of a ventricle (lower chamber) of the heart. Although left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is more common, right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), as well as concurrent hypertrophy of both ventr ...
(including left ventricular hypertrophy
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is thickening of the heart muscle of the left ventricle of the heart, that is, left-sided ventricular hypertrophy and resulting increased left ventricular mass.
Causes
While ventricular hypertrophy occurs ...
and right ventricular hypertrophy
Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) is a condition defined by an abnormal enlargement of the cardiac muscle surrounding the right ventricle. The right ventricle is one of the four chambers of the heart. It is located towards the lower-end of the h ...
)
* Muscle hypertrophy
Muscle hypertrophy or muscle building involves a hypertrophy or increase in size of skeletal muscle through a growth in size of its component cells. Two factors contribute to hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which focuses more on increas ...
* List of biological development disorders
References
Bibliography
* Reece JB, Urry LA, Cain ML, Wasserman SA, Minorsky PV, Jackson RB. Campbell Biology (10th ed.). Addison Wesley Longman; 2014.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biological development disorders
Lists of diseases
Disability-related l ...
References
External links
University of California Muscle Physiology Home Page: Hypertrophy
{{Pathology
Muscular system
Tissues (biology)
Exercise physiology
Physical exercise
Anatomical pathology