Question

3. What specific type of cellular adaptation has taken place in Maria’s enlarged heart? What made you come to this conclusion

Answer 1

Cellular adaptation refers to changes made by a cell in response to adverse environmental changes. Sometimes prolonged exposure of cells to adverse or exaggerated normal stimui which evokes various changes at the level of individual cells, tissues, or whole organs. In the case of Maria's enlarged heart, the type of cellular adaptation occured due to hypertrophy.

Hypertrophy: It is an increase in the size of the tissue or organs due to enlargement of individual cells. There are two types of adaptation

i) Physiologic Hypetrophy:example: enlargement of skeletal muscles in body builders due to weights

ii) Pathologic Hypertrophy: enlargement of the heart that occurs as an adaptation to increased workload or concentric enlargement of the left ventricular is typically seen in hypertension and is an adaptive response to left ventricular pressure overload.