An enlargement of the skin due to multiplication of its cells is called

• A. Hyperplasia
• B. Hypertrophy
• C. Atrophy
• D. Edema

Answer: (B)

Enlargement caused by more cells being produced is hyperplasia. This means the tissue grows because the cell numbers increase, not because existing cells get bigger. In the skin, friction or irritation can trigger epidermal hyperplasia, where the epidermal layer thickens due to extra cell production (as seen in calluses).

Hypertrophy, on the other hand, is growth by enlarging the size of the cells themselves, not increasing their number. Atrophy is a decrease in size or number of cells, leading to shrinking of the tissue. Edema is swelling from fluid buildup, not an increase in cell number. So for skin thickening due to multiplication of cells, the term is hyperplasia.