CELL ADAPTATION

Presenter Amon
Facilitator Prof Amos Mwakigonja
 CELL ADAPTATION
• Various Types of Adaptations
• Cells may undergo various adaptations in physiological
and pathological conditions
• Controlled by complex molecular mechanisms
 CELL ADAPTATION
Common types of cellular adaptations
1. atrophy
2. hypertrophy
3. hyperplasia
4. metaplasia
5. dysplasia
CELL ADAPTATION
 ADAPTATION

• Atrophy (shrinkage in size of cell by

loss of cell substance)
– Forms:
• physiologic (during development)
Pathogical;
–local (mechanical, loss of innervation, diminished
blood supply, nutrition, neuroendocrin, inactivity,
etc)
–generalized (starving, aging etc)
Atrophy associatedwith Alzheimer’s
Disease
Atrophy associated with Malnutrition
 CELLULAR ADAPTATION
• Hypoplasia: the organ is smaller as normal
• Aplasia (organ, but rudiments might be found)
• Agenesis (no organ, no rudiments)
HYPERTROPHY
• increase in the size of cells which results in
enlargement of the organs.
• mostly seen in cells that cannot divide, i.e. skeletal
muscle (strength training) and cardiac muscle
(hypertension).

• Changes usually revert to normal if the stimulus is

removed and are mediated by different mechanisms.
 HYPERTROPHY
– Forms:
• Physiologic (uterus, breast in pregnancy)
• Pathologic (striated muscle of heart, skeletal muscle,
increased workload, chr. hemodynamic overload etc.)
LV hypertrophy-in hypertension
 HYPERPLASIA
HYPERPLASIA
• Increased number of cells in an organ or
tissue and may sometimes co-exist with
hypertrophy.
• Classified in 2 forms as:
• physiologic
– hormonal (e.g., breast and uterus during
normal menstrual cycle and pregnancy)
– compensatory (regeneration of liver following
partial hepatectomy or wound healing)
• pathologic
– excessive hormonal stimulation (BPH)
uterus during normal menstrual cycle and pregnancy
 METAPLASIA
METAPLASIA
• Transformation or replacement of one
adult cell type to another adult cell type
(e.g. the changes in respiratory tract or on
distal esophagus).
• Also occurs in mesenchymal tissue
(e.g. formation of bone due to fracture)
• Metaplastic changes usually result from chronic irritation
changes seem to precede the development of cancer.

• In some instances thought to arise from reprogramming

of stem or undifferentiated cells that are present in adult
tissue.
 METAPLASIA
– Forms;
– columnar to squamous,
– squamous to columnar,
– connective tissue etce.- eg. formation of bone in
skeletal muscle)
 Metaplasia of
Respiratory Epithelium
 Metaplasia of
Oesophagus Epithelium - Barrett’s Esophagus
Metaplasia of Uterine Cervix
Metaplasia of Uterine Cervix At Higher
Magnification
 DYSPLASIA

● Deranged cell growth that results in cells

that vary in size, shape and organization,
minor degrees are associated with
irritation or inflammation.
• Most commonly associated with
respiratory tract or uterine cervix.
• Potentially reversible and often a
precursor for cancer.
Reference;
1. Robbins basic pathology 9th edition.
2. Harsh Mohan textbook of pathology.