Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, resulting in reduced tissue mass. Which term describes this process?

Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, resulting in reduced tissue mass. Which term describes this process?

• A. Atrophy
• B. Hypertrophy
• C. Hyperplasia
• D. Metaplasia

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is how cells adapt by shrinking in size, leading to less tissue mass. This describes atrophy, which is a reduction in the size of individual cells and, consequently, the tissue they form. This happens when a tissue’s workload or nourishment decreases, or with aging, and it involves reduced protein synthesis and increased protein breakdown (often via degradation pathways) sometimes aided by autophagy. That’s why the term fits exactly for a decrease in cell size and tissue mass. In contrast, hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, hyperplasia is an increase in cell number, and metaplasia is a change from one differentiated cell type to another.

The concept being tested is how cells adapt by shrinking in size, leading to less tissue mass. This describes atrophy, which is a reduction in the size of individual cells and, consequently, the tissue they form. This happens when a tissue’s workload or nourishment decreases, or with aging, and it involves reduced protein synthesis and increased protein breakdown (often via degradation pathways) sometimes aided by autophagy. That’s why the term fits exactly for a decrease in cell size and tissue mass. In contrast, hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, hyperplasia is an increase in cell number, and metaplasia is a change from one differentiated cell type to another.