CELLULAR ADAPTATION
Dr. Sujan Vaidya
Dept. of Pathology
OBJECTIVES
1. Hypertrophy
2 Hyperplasia
3. Atrophy
4. Metaplasia
OVERVIEW OF CELLULAR RESPONSES TO
STRESS AND NOXIOUS STIMULI
• The normal cell is able to handle physiologic
demands to some extent, maintaining a steady state
- homeostasis
when the cell adapts to a new, altered steady states
in response to more severe physiologic stresses and
some pathologic stimuli- adaptation
• The principal adaptive responses are:
1. hypertrophy
2. hyperplasia
3. atrophy
4. metaplasia
• if the adaptive capability is exceeded or if the
external stress is inherently harmful → cell injury
- cell injury is reversible up to a certain point, but if
the stimulus persists or is severe enough from the
beginning, the cell suffers irreversible injury and
ultimately → cell death.
STAGES OF CELLULAR RESPONSE TO
STRESS AND INJURIOUS STIMULI
CELLULAR ADAPTATIONS TO STRESS
• Adaptations are reversible changes.
- when the stress is eliminated the cell can recover to
its original state without having suffered any harmful
consequences
• Adaptations may be:
a. physiological
b. pathologic
HYPERTROPHY
• refers to an increase in the size of cells, resulting in
an increase in the size of the organ.
- it occurs in cells less capable of cell division
• is caused by either ↑functional demand or by
stimulation by hormones.
• It can be either:
a. physiologic or
b. pathologic
PHYSIOLOGICAL HYPERTROPHY
• hypertrophy and hyperplasia
may coexist and contribute
to ↑ size.
- Eg: uterus during pregnancy
PHYSIOLOGICAL HYPERTROPHY
• striated muscle cells (heart & skeletal muscles) have
only a limited capacity for division, and respond to
increased metabolic demands → hypertrophy.
• The most common stimulus for hypertrophy of
muscle is↑ workload.
- Eg: muscles of bodybuilders result from ↑ in size of
the individual muscle fibers in response to increased
demand
PATHOLOGIC HYPERTROPHY
HYPERPLASIA
• is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or
tissue, usually resulting in increased mass of the
organ or tissue.
- hyperplasia and hypertrophy frequently occur
together and may be triggered by the same external
stimulus.
• Hyperplasia can be:
a. physiologic or
b. pathologic
PHYSIOLOGICAL HYPERPLASIA
• It can be divided into:
1. hormonal hyperplasia: which ↑ functional capacity
of a tissue when needed.
- Eg: female breast during puberty and pregnancy
2. compensatory hyperplasia: which ↑ tissue mass
after damage or partial resection.
- Eg: regenerative capacity of the liver
PATHOLOGIC HYPERPLASIA
• Most forms of pathologic hyperplasia are caused by
excessive stimulation of hormones or growth factors.
- Eg: endometrial hyperplasia is an example of
abnormal hormone-induced hyperplasia.
ATROPHY
• is reduced size of an organ or tissue resulting from a
decrease in cell size and number.
- when a sufficient no. of cells is involved, the entire
tissue or organ ↓ in size .
• Atrophy can be:
a. Physiologic: during normal development.
- Eg: uterus decreases in size shortly after gestation,
b. Pathologic: depends on the underlying cause and
can be local or generalized.
• The common causes of atrophy are the following:
1. ↓ workload (atrophy of disuse).
2. loss of innervation (denervation atrophy).
3. ↓ blood supply.
4. inadequate nutrition.
5. loss of endocrine stimulation.
6. pressure.
7. aging
ATROPHY
METAPLASIA
• is a reversible change in which one differentiated cell
type (epithelial or mesenchymal) is replaced by
another cell type.
- replacement of cells that are sensitive to stress by
cell types better able to withstand the adverse
environment.
- Eg: columnar to squamous (occurs in the
respiratory tract in response to chronic irritation).
• in most circumstances, it represents an undesirable
change.
influences that predispose to metaplasia, if
persistent, may initiate malignant transformation in
metaplastic epithelium.
METAPLASIA
QUESTIONS
THANK YOU
