Compensatory growth (organ)

Compensatory growth is a type of regenerative growth that can take place in a number of human organs after the organs are either damaged, removed, or cease to function.

[1] Additionally, increased functional demand can also stimulate this growth in tissues and organs.

[2] The growth can be a result of increased cell size (compensatory hypertrophy) or an increase in cell division (compensatory hyperplasia) or both.

[1] Eventually, the remaining kidney can grow until its mass approaches the combined mass of two kidneys.

[1] Along with the kidneys, compensatory growth has also been characterized in a number of other tissues and organs including: A large number of growth factors and hormones are involved with compensatory growth, but the exact mechanism is not fully understood and probably varies between different organs.