hypertrophy hypertrophy hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its component cells. it is distinguished from hyperplasia, in which the cells remain approximately the same size but increase in number. although hypertrophy and hyperplasia are two distinct processes, they frequently occur together, such as in the case of the hormonally induced proliferation and enlargement of the cells of the uterus during pregnancy. hypertrophyhypertrophy results from an increase in cell size, whereas hyperplasia stems from an increase in cell number eccentric hypertrophy is a type of hypertrophy where the walls and chamber of a hollow organ undergo growth in which the overall size and volume are enlarged. it is applied especially to the left ventricle of heart. sarcomeres are added in series, as for example in dilated cardiomyopathy (in contrast to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a type of concentric hypertrophy, where sarcomeres are added in parallel). gallery hypertrophy of breast, c. 1870 hypertrophy of the clitoris hypertrophy of the foot, partial forensic post-mortem examination of a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, showing thickening of the cardiac muscle hypertrophy of the ear (macrotia) kidney hypertrophy hypertrophy of the upper lip hypertrophy of the temporal muscles -plasia and -trophy anaplasia (structural differentiation loss within a cell or group of cells). aplasia (organ or part of organ missing) desmoplasia (connective tissue growth) dysplasia (change in cell or tissue phenotype) hyperplasia (proliferation of cells) hypoplasia (congenital below-average number of cells, especially when inadequate) metaplasia (conversion in cell type) neoplasia (abnormal proliferation) prosoplasia (development of new cell function) abiotrophy (loss in vitality of organ or tissue) atrophy (reduced functionality of an organ, with decrease in the number or volume of cells) hypertrophy (increase in the volume of cells or tissues) hypotrophy (decrease in the volume of cells or tissues) dystrophy (any degenerative disorder resulting from improper or faulty nutrition)