Metaplasia

Metaplasia[edit | edit source]

Histopathological image showing metaplasia in tissue samples.

Metaplasia is a pathological condition characterized by the transformation of one differentiated cell type to another differentiated cell type. This abnormal tissue change often occurs as an adaptive response to a chronic stimulus.

Definition and Types[edit | edit source]

Metaplasia can be classified into several types based on the tissue transformation:

Epithelial Metaplasia: Changes in epithelial cell types, such as squamous metaplasia in the respiratory tract.
Mesenchymal Metaplasia: Transformation of mesenchymal tissue, like bone formation in soft tissue.

Causes[edit | edit source]

Common causes of metaplasia include:

Chronic irritation or inflammation
Hormonal changes
Environmental factors, such as smoking

Clinical Significance[edit | edit source]

Metaplasia is significant clinically as it can be a precursor to dysplasia and malignant transformations. However, not all metaplastic changes lead to cancer.

Potential for Malignancy[edit | edit source]

Biopsy, a procedure used to diagnose potential malignant changes in metaplastic tissue.

While metaplasia is initially a benign process, chronic conditions leading to persistent metaplasia can increase the risk of developing malignancy in the affected tissues.

External Links[edit | edit source]

Metaplasia Resources
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