Which mammal organs can compensate by enlarging after tissue is lost?

In mammals, when a portion of an organ is lost, the remaining tissue can often compensate for the loss through a process known as compensatory hypertrophy, where the residual part enlarges to restore the organ's original function.1

The following mammalian organs are known to exhibit this compensatory enlargement:

• Liver: If a significant portion, such as three-quarters, is removed, the remaining lobes enlarge to reach a mass equivalent to the original organ.1
• Kidneys: If one kidney is removed, the remaining one increases in size, primarily through an increase in cell division (hyperplasia) and cell size (hypertrophy).21
• Endocrine and other organs: The thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, gonads, and lungs also compensate for reductions in mass by enlarging their remaining parts.21

It is important to note that this process does not replace the missing structures themselves; rather, the remaining tissue grows as necessary to maintain the organ's functional capacity.1