Tissue growth

Tissue growth is the process by which a tissue increases its size. In animals, tissue growth occurs during embryonic development, post-natal growth, and tissue regeneration. The fundamental cellular basis for tissue growth is the process of cell proliferation, which involves both cell growth and cell division occurring in parallel.

How cell proliferation is controlled during tissue growth to determine final tissue size is an open question in biology. Uncontrolled tissue growth is a cause of cancer.

Differential rates of cell proliferation within an organ can influence proportions, as can the orientation of cell divisions, and thus tissue growth contributes to shaping tissues along with other mechanisms of tissue morphogenesis.