Increase in number of cells in a tissue is called?

BHU NO - 2015

Pathology & Genetics

Easy

Appeared in: BHU NO - 2015

Explanation

Hyperplasia is defined as an increase in the number of parenchymal cells within a tissue or organ, resulting in its enlargement.
This process is driven by growth factors that stimulate mature cells to enter the cell cycle and proliferate, or by an increased output of new cells from tissue stem cells.
It occurs only in tissues containing cells that are capable of division, such as the epithelium of the skin, endometrium, and parenchymal cells of organs like the liver and kidney.
Hyperplasia can be a physiological response (e.g., breast tissue during pregnancy) or a pathological one (e.g., benign prostatic hyperplasia).

Option A: Hypertrophy refers to an increase in the size of existing cells, not an increase in the number of cells.
Option C: Aplasia is the complete failure of cell production during embryogenesis, leading to the absence of an organ or tissue.
Option D: Hypoplasia refers to the incomplete or underdevelopment of a tissue or organ, resulting in a smaller than normal size due to an insufficient number of cells.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Cellular adaptation and growth abnormalities as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses monitor for clinical signs of pathological hyperplasia, such as abnormal uterine bleeding (potentially from endometrial hyperplasia) or difficulty urinating in older men (a sign of benign prostatic hyperplasia).
Understanding the difference between hyperplasia and hypertrophy is essential for interpreting pathology reports and educating patients about their conditions.
Pathological hyperplasia can be a precursor to malignancy. For instance, a nurse's role in patient education would include explaining the importance of follow-up and monitoring for patients diagnosed with conditions like atypical endometrial hyperplasia to detect any progression to cancer early.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question stem: 'increase in number of cells'.
Next, recall the definitions of the terms provided in the options related to cellular growth.
Differentiate between '-plasia' (related to formation/growth/number) and '-trophy' (related to nourishment/size).
Hyper- means 'increase' or 'excessive'. Therefore, 'hyperplasia' logically means an increase in the number of cells.
Contrast this with 'hypertrophy', which means an increase in cell size.
Eliminate 'aplasia' (absence of development) and 'hypoplasia' (incomplete development) as they describe a decrease or lack of cells, not an increase.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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