Atrophy
Atrophy (atrophia; a - negative part + Greek trophe - nutrition) - a decrease in the volume and mass of tissue or organ, accompanied by the termination or weakening of their function; atrophy is based on tissue nutritional disorders, which leads to the gradual replacement of parenchymal elements with fibrous tissue.
The following types of atrophy are distinguished:
- From inaction (synonym: dysfunctional atrophy) - develops due to a prolonged decrease in the functional load on the organ;
- Brown (fusca) - develops due to the accumulation of lipofuscin in the cells, which is why the color of the organ turns brown; typical for striated muscles, liver, myocardium;
- Smooth (glabra) - the process spreads evenly, so the organ retains a smooth surface; the term is usually applied to the liver and kidneys;
- Hormonal (hormonalis) - develops due to a violation of hormonal regulation of metabolism in a tissue or organ;
- From pressure (e compressione; synonym: compression atrophy) - develops in tissues undergoing prolonged compression;
- Substitution (substitutiva) - atrophy of the endocrine glands due to prolonged use of drugs containing hormones or hormone analogues produced by these glands;
- Granular (granularis) - the process spreads unevenly, as evidenced by the small-knobby nature of the surface of the organ;
- Concentric (concentrica) - a type of bone atrophy, in which the usual proportions of the sizes of the bone marrow cavity and the cortical layer of the bone are preserved;
- Radial (radialis) - due to degenerative processes and the termination of the reproduction of parenchymal cells due to radiation damage to the body;
- Local (localis) - atrophy of individual tissues or organs;
- Pathological (pathologica) - develops due to any pathological process; the term is used as opposed to physiological atrophy;
- Physiological (physiologica) - is a stage in the individual development of certain organs (ductus arteriosus, umbilical artery, thymus, etc.) or is observed in old age;
- Eccentric (excentrica) - a type of bone atrophy; characterized by a violation of the usual relationship between the medullary cavity and the cortical layer of the bone (with its sharp thinning).
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