Metaplasia of laryngeal respiratory epithelium has occurred here in a smoker. The chronic irritation has led to an exchanging of one type of epithelium (the normal respiratory epithelium at the right) for another (the more resilient squamous epithelium at the left). Metaplasia is not a normal physiologic process and may be the first step toward neoplasia.

Question: Is metaplasia reversible?

AnswerYes, metaplasia is potentially reversible if the offending stimulus to cellular alteration is removed.