I have a question that i have to answer on my homework. It is Mark has been lifting weights at the gym he notices his arm muscle is gettin bigger what name is given to this change of size of his muscles? What is the name given to the opposite of this condition? This is the study of the cell but is getting me confuse

Question

I have a question that i have to answer on my homework. It is Mark has been lifting weights at the gym he notices his arm muscle is gettin bigger  what name is given to this change of size of his muscles?  What is the name given to the opposite of this condition? This is the study of the cell but is getting me confuse

anonymous · Answer

I think increasing of muscle volume is hypertrophy and the opposite is  dystrophy .

blues · Answer

Reza is right about increase in muscle volume being called hypertrophy. It corresponds to formation of more filaments, mitochondria and metabolic proteins in each muscle cell.

But the term for muscle shrinkage through loss of these cellular constituents is called 'atrophy.' 'Dystrophy' involves malformation or misshapen cells. It's a subtle difference but an important one.