Teruggroeireactie

Teruggroeireactie is a Dutch term referring to a biological or pathological process in which tissue or structures exhibit a rebound or regrowth after a phase of reduction, injury, or removal. The concept is applied in several scientific fields, including histology, oncology, plant biology, and veterinary medicine, where it helps to describe the observed proliferation of cells or tissues following an acute or chronic change.

In pathology, a teruggroeireactie may be seen as a reparative response to surgical excision of tumours or wounds. Following removal of a lesion, surrounding tissues can undergo compensatory proliferation to restore the lost structure. Histological examination may show a radial increase in cell number, or the formation of a regenerative rim that extends inward from the excision margin. While this regenerative activity can aid in healing, it may also complicate surgical margins and increase the risk of tumour recurrence.

In plant science, the term describes the rapid adventitious growth of new shoots or roots after pruning, grafting, or stress. Cadmium‐induced damage can stimulate teruggroeireactie, as plants attempt to replace damaged tissues. The reaction is marked by increased cell division in cambial or meristematic zones and can be quantified by changes in growth rate or biomass accumulation.

In veterinary practice, particularly in the context of bone healing and joint replacement, a teruggroeireactie is described when new bone or cartilage forms at a controlled rate to reconstruct lost volume. Radiographic imaging is often used to monitor this process, as accelerated regrowth may indicate over‑or under‑recovery.

The term is thus a useful, interdisciplinary descriptor for recovery dynamics that involve proliferation, differentiation or migration of cells to reconstitute a functional architecture after perturbation.