Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy is the enlargement of an organ or tissue caused by an increase in the size of its individual cells, distinguishing it from hyperplasia, which is enlargement from an increase in cell number, even though the two processes often occur together as an organism grows. On its own, hypertrophy is not inherently a disease: in humans and other mammals it is frequently a normal physiological adaptation, such as the hormonally driven enlargement of uterine muscle cells during pregnancy or the growth of skeletal muscle fibers in response to repeated exercise. The same mechanism, however, can also be pathological, appearing as a clinical finding across many unrelated conditions, from an enlarged heart under chronic strain to swollen gums, an enlarged tongue, or thickened bone. Because it describes a pattern seen throughout the body rather than a single disease with one cause, hypertrophy functions in medicine both as a general biological concept and as a sign recorded when examining a specific organ, with its significance depending entirely on which tissue is affected and why.