An increase in the number of cells is called?

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2018

Explanation

Hyperplasia is defined as an increase in the number of parenchymal cells, resulting in the enlargement of an organ or tissue.
This cellular adaptation is a response to a stimulus and can be either physiologic (e.g., hormonal changes in pregnancy) or pathologic (e.g., response to chronic irritation).
It occurs in cell populations that are capable of division, such as epithelial cells (skin, endometrium) and parenchymal cells (liver, kidney).
Hyperplasia is distinct from hypertrophy, which is an increase in the size of existing cells.

Option B: Hypoplasia refers to the underdevelopment or incomplete development of a tissue or organ due to an inadequate number of cells. This is the opposite of what the question asks.
Option C: Metaplasia is a cellular adaptation where one mature, differentiated cell type is replaced by another mature cell type. It is a change in cell type, not an increase in cell number.
Option D: Dysplasia, also known as atypical hyperplasia, refers to disordered growth and maturation of cells. It involves changes in cell size, shape, and organization and is often a precursor to cancer. It is not simply an increase in cell number.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Cellular Adaptations as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding hyperplasia is crucial for nurses as it underlies many common conditions. For example, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a frequent cause of urinary obstruction in older men.
Pathologic hyperplasia, such as endometrial hyperplasia, requires close monitoring as it can increase the risk of developing cancer.
Nurses educate patients on risk factors for pathologic hyperplasia, such as smoking which can cause bronchial epithelial changes, or hormonal imbalances.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the question as a direct recall of a definition from pathology.
Focus on the keywords in the stem: "increase" and "number of cells".
Analyze the prefixes and suffixes of the options. "Hyper-" means 'above' or 'increased', and "-plasia" means 'formation' or 'growth'. This directly matches the question.
Differentiate this from other terms. "Hypo-" means 'under'. "Meta-" means 'change'. "Dys-" means 'bad' or 'abnormal'.
Recall that hypertrophy relates to cell size ('-trophy' for nourishment/size), not number.
Select the term that specifically means an increase in the quantity of cells.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Qda5RGHiut3PsTELBaXjep

E6 PATHOLOGY QUICK REVIEWBased on Harsh Mohan Textbook of PATHOLOGY pp. 23-25, 24-26

E6 Pathology-Textbook of PATHOLOGYHarsh Mohan Part 1 (1-214) p. 59-61

Practise the full AIIMS Delhi NO - 2018

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.