A 29-year-old man sustains a left femoral fracture in a motorcycle accident. His leg is placed in a plaster cast. After his left leg has been immobilized for 6 weeks, the diameter of the left calf has decreased in size. This change in size is most likely to result from which of the following alterations in his calf muscles?

Reduced workload causes cell to shrink through loss of cell substance, a process called atrophy. The cells are still present, just smaller. Aplasia refers to lack of embryonic development; hypoplasia describes poor or subnormal development of tissues. Dystrophy of muscles refers to inherited disorders of skeletal muscles that lead to muscle fiber destruction, weakness, and wasting. Hyaline change (hyalinosis) refers to a nonspecific, pink, glassy eosinophilic appearance of cells.