Fibrosis
/faɪˈbroʊsɪs/
Definitions
The thickening and scarring of connective tissue, usually as a result of injury or disease.
/faɪˈbroʊsɪs/
The formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue.
The patient's lungs showed signs of fibrosis after the infection.
💡 Simply: Imagine your body's internal support system, like the scaffolding inside a building. Fibrosis is like that scaffolding getting too thick and rigid in a particular place, which can make things not work right. For instance, think about a lung that gets scarred and stiff.
👶 For kids: It's like when your body tries to fix itself after it's hurt, but it makes too much 'glue' that makes things stiff instead of strong.
More Examples
Researchers are exploring treatments for fibrosis in various organs.
Early diagnosis of fibrosis is crucial to prevent further damage.
How It's Used
"Pulmonary fibrosis makes it difficult to breathe."
"Liver fibrosis can lead to cirrhosis."
From Neo-Latin, combining 'fibro-' (referring to fibers) and '-osis' (denoting a condition or process).
The term fibrosis emerged in the late 19th century within medical literature to describe the pathological process of excessive connective tissue formation.
Memory tip
Think 'fibers' and '-osis' (condition): Fibrosis is an overgrowth of fibrous tissue.
Word Origin
"fibro- (fiber, fibrous) + -osis (condition or process)"