Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy

Definition – Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of parenchymal cells resulting in enlargement of the organ or tissue, without any change in the number of cells.

Causes – It may be physiological or pathological…

PHYSIOLOGICAL HYPERTROPHY – Enlarged size of uterus in pregnancy.

PATHOLOGICAL HYPERTROPHY –

1. Hypertrophy of cardiac muscles, e.g. systemic hypertension, aortic valve disease (stenosis and insufficiency), mitral insufficiency.
2. Hypertrophy of smooth muscles, e.g. cardiac achalasia (in oesophagus), pyloric stenosis (in stomach), intestinal strictures, muscular arteries in hypertension.
3. Hypertrophy of skeletal muscles, e.g. athletes and manual labourers.
4. Compensatory hypertrophy after removal of contralateral organ, e.g. nephrectomy, adrenal hyperplasia.

Cardiac Hypertrophy

MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES – The affected organ is enlarged and heavy. There is enlargement of muscles fibres as well as of nuclei. At ultra-structural level, there is increased synthesis of DNA and RNA, protein and increased number of organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and myofibrils.






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