General Veterinary Pathology

GROWTH DISTURBANCES

• The disturbances in growth cover a broader spectrum of changes from no growth to uncontrolled growth. While uncontrolled growth (neoplasm) is dealt separately, the other forms of growth disturbances are considered in this chapter.
• Cells may fail to develop or adapt to changing environment or physiological or pathological stimuli.

  • Aplasia
  • Agenesis
  • Hypoplasia
  • Hyperplasia
  • Hypertrophy
  • Atrophy
  • Metaplasia
  • Dysplasia  
• The cells respond to altered physiological or pathological stimuli by adapting themselves. These changes are reflected as atrophy, hyperplasia, hypertrophy, metaplasia and dysplasia besides aplasia and hypoplasia. Following an injurious stimulus or to stress, the normal cell’s homeostatic state may respond with cellular injury resulting in either death or adaption. Hence, the cellular adaptation to the increased demand is a state in between normal and stressed.