Involution
Involution (medicine)
Involution (pronounced: /ɪnvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/) is a term used in medicine to describe the process of an organ returning to its original state after enlargement or swelling. The term is derived from the Latin word involutio, which means "a rolling up" or "a return to a former state".
Etymology
The term involution comes from the Latin involutio, which is a combination of in (meaning 'into') and volvere (meaning 'to roll'). In a medical context, it refers to the process of an organ shrinking back to its normal size after it has been enlarged due to pregnancy or disease.
Usage in Medicine
In medicine, involution is often used to describe the process that occurs in the female reproductive system after childbirth. The uterus, which enlarges during pregnancy, undergoes involution after the baby is born to return to its pre-pregnancy size. This process typically takes six to eight weeks.
Involution can also refer to the shrinking of an organ due to age or disease. For example, the thymus gland undergoes involution with age, gradually shrinking in size and function.
Related Terms
- Atrophy: The process of a tissue or organ wasting away due to lack of use or disease.
- Hypertrophy: The enlargement of an organ or tissue due to an increase in the size of its cells.
- Hyperplasia: The enlargement of an organ or tissue due to an increase in the number of its cells.
- Metaplasia: The transformation of one type of tissue into another.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Involution
- Wikipedia's article - Involution
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