metaplasia (met-ă-play-ziă) n. an abnormal change in the nature of a tissue, usually in response to an environmental factor. myeloid m. the development of bone marrow elements in organs such as the spleen and liver. This may occur after bone marrow failure.
—metaplastic adj.

metaplasia The transformation of a tissue into a different type. This is an abnormal process; for example, metaplasia of the epithelium of the bronchi may be an early sign of cancer.