Question

Define hypertrophy. Explain what kind of cellular changes a hormone would have to make to cause hypertrophy of its target tissue/organ.

Answer 1

Hypertrophy is increase in volume of a tissue or organ because of increase in size and growth of cells present in it.

Hypertrophy is a type of cellular adaptation in when the signals for growth arives to cell. These signals can be in the form of hormones which induces growth of cell or it can be any stimuli like during heavy exercise.

During hypertrophy, like in muscle hypertrophy, there is increased accumulation of intracellular protein in the muscles cell. This cause increase in size causing hypertrophy.

Other cellular changes include accumulation of fat( in adipocytes cells).

During hypertrophy of uterus, as in pregnancy, the elevated hormones level cause increase in growth of uterine cells and thus cells in uterus proliferate more than usual. The size of the organelles also increases.

Thus increased hormome level cause accumulation of intracellular material and promotion of growth factors which eventually cause hypertrophy.