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Active | -- |
characterized by action; not passive; not expectant. |
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AIDS | -- | Disease caused by infection with HTLV 3 (also called LAV or HIV) virus, resulting in a deficiency of T Helper lymphocytes with resulting immune suppression phenomena further resulting in susceptibility to other infectious diseases and to certain types of tumor, particularly Kaposi's sarcoma. |
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Artery | -- | Blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart; walls have smooth muscle and are innervated by the sympathetic nervous system. |
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Abdomen | -- | (L., possibly from abdere to hide) that portion of the body which lies between the thorax and the pelvis; called also belly and venter. It contains a cavity (abdominal cavity) separated by the diaphragm from the thoracic cavity, above and by the plane of the pelvic inlet from the pelvic cavity below, and lined with a serous membrane, the peritoneum. This cavity contains the abdominal viscera and is enclosed by a wall (abdominal wall or parities) formed by the abdominal muscles, vertebral column, and the ilia. It is divided into nine regions by four imaginary lines projected onto the anterior wall, of which two pass horizontally around the body (the upper at the level of the cartilages of the ninth ribs, the lower at the tops of the crests of the ilia), and two extend vertically on each side of the body from the cartilage of the eighth rib to the centre of the inguinal ligament, as in A below. The regions are : three upper right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac; three middle right lateral, umbilical, left lateral; and three lower right inguinal, pubic, left inguinal). |
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Abnormal | -- | (ab + L. norma rule) not normal; contrary to the usual structure, position, behaviour, or rule. |
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Antibody | -- | an immunoglobulin molecule that has a specific amino acid sequence by virtue of which it interacts only with the antigen that induced its synthesis in cells of the lymphoid series (especially plasma cells), or with antigen closely related to it. Antibodies are classified according to their ode of action as agglutinins, bacteriolysins, haemolysins, opsonins, precipitins, etc. |
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Antigen | -- | (antibody + Gr. gennan to produce) any substance which is capable, under appropriate conditions, of inducing a specificimmune response and of reacting with the products of that response, that is, with specific antibody or specifically sensitized T lymphocytes, or both. Antigens may be soluble substances, such as toxins and foreign proteins, or particulate, such as bacteria and tissue cells; however, only the portion of the protein or polysaccharide molecule known as the antigenic determinant (q.v.) combines with antibody or a specific receptor on a lymphocyte. Abbreviated Ag. |
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Blood vessels | -- | All the vessels lined with endothelium through which blood circulates. |
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Bone marrow | -- | Tissue found in the centre of most bones; site of haemopoesis. The most radiation sensitive tissue of the body. |
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Cytoplasm | -- | (cyto + Gr. plasma plasm) the protoplasm of a cell exclusive of that of the nucleus; it consists of a continuous aqueoussolution (cytosol) and the organelles and inclusions suspended in it (phaneroplasm), and is the site of most of the chemical activities of the cell. |
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Cytomegalovirus | -- | Probably the most widespread of the Herpetoviridae group. Infected cells enlarge and have a characteristic inclusion body (composed of virus particles) in the nucleus. Causes disease only in utero (leading to abortion or stillbirth or to various congenital defects), although can be opportunistic in the immunocompromised host. |
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Cancer | -- | Originally descriptive of breast carcinoma, now a general term for diseases caused by any type of malignant tumor. |
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Cardiovascular | -- | pertaining to the heart and blood vessels. |
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Cardiac muscle | -- | (heart muscle) is a striated but involuntary muscle responsible for the pumping activity of the vertebrate heart. The individual muscle cells are joined through a junctional complex known as the intercalated disc, and are not fused together into multinucleate structures as they are in skeletal muscle. |
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Coronary | -- | (L. corona; Gr. koron ) encircling in the manner of a crown; a term applied to vessels; nerves, ligaments, etc. The term usually denotes the arteries that supply the heart muscle and, by extension, a pathologic involvement of them. |
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Chronic | -- | (L. chronicus, from Gr. chronos time) persisting over a long period of time. |
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Complementary | -- | (L. complere to fill) supplying a defect, or helping to do so; making complete; accessory. |
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Cavity | -- | (L. cavitas) a hollow place or space, or a potential space, within the body or in one of its organs; it may be normal or pathological. |
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Cell | -- | An autonomous self replicating unit (in principle) that may constitute an organism ( in the case of unicellular organisms) or be a sub unit of multicellular organisms in which individual cells may be more or less specialised differentiated) for particular functions. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells. |
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Clone | -- | A propagating population of organisms, either single cell or multicellular, derived from a single progenitor cell. Such organisms should be genetically identical, though mutation events may abrogate this. |
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DNA | -- |
Deoxyribonucleic acid. The genetic material of all cells and many viruses. A polymer of nucleotides. The monomer consists of phosphorylated 2 deoxyribose N glycosidically linked to one of four bases adenine, cytosine, guanine or thymine. These are linked together by 3',5' phosphodiester bridges. In the Watson Crick double helix model two complementary strands are wound in a right handed helix and held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs. The sequence of bases encodes genetic information. Three major conformations exist A DNA, B DNA that corresponds to the original Watson Crick model) and Z DNA. |
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Dystrophy | -- | (L. dystrophia, from dys + Gr. trephein to nourish) any disorder arising from defective or faulty nutrition, especially the muscular dystrophies. |
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Enzyme | -- |
(Gr. en in + zym e leaven) a protein molecule that catalyses chemical reactions of other substances without itself being destroyed or altered upon completion of the reactions. Enzymes are classified according to the recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry. Each enzyme is assigned a recommended name and an Enzyme Commission (EC) number. They are divided into six main groups; oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, and ligases |
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Envelope | -- | (1) Lipoprotein outer layer of some viruses derived from plasma membrane of the host cell. (2) In bacteriology, the plasma membrane and cell wall complex of a bacterium. |
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Fibrosis | -- | the formation of fibrous tissue; fibroid or fibrous degeneration |
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Gene | -- |
Originally defined as the physical unit of heredity but the meaning has changed with increasing knowledge. It is probably best defined as the unit of inheritance that occupies a specific locus on a chromosome, the existence of which can be confirmed by the occurrence of different allelic forms. Given the occurrence of split genes, it might be re defined as the set of DNA sequences (exons) that are required to produce a single polypeptide |
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Genetic | -- | pertaining to reproduction, or to birth or origin. |
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genome | -- | The total set of genes carried by an individual or cell. |
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Gene therapy | -- | Treatment of a disease caused by malfunction of a gene, by stably transfecting the cells of the organism with the normal gene. |
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Histamine | -- | Formed by decarboxylation of histidine. Potent pharmacological agent acting through receptors in smooth muscle and in secretory systems. Stored in mast cells and released by antigen. (See hypersensitivity). Responsible for the early symptoms of anaphylaxis. Also present in some venoms. |
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Immune | -- | (L. immunis free, exempt) protected against, infectious disease by either specific or nonspecific mechanisms. |
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Interferons | -- | A family of glycoproteins produced in mammals that prevent virus multiplication in cells. IFN _ is made by leucocytes and IFN _ by fibroblasts after viralinfection. IFN _ is produced by immune cells after antigen stimulation. IFN _ and _ are also known as Type I interferons, IFN _ as Type II interferons, more usually classed as cytokines |
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Interleukin | -- | A variety of substances produced by leucocytes (not necessarily exclusively) and that function during inflammatory responses. (This is the definition recommended by the IUIS WHO Nomenclature Committee). Interleukins are of the larger class of T cell products, lymphokines. Now more frequently considered as cytokines |
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Infection | -- | 1. invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues, which may be clinically unapparent or result in local cellular injury due to competitive metabolism, toxins, intracellular replication, or antigen antibody response. The infection may remain localized, subclinical, and temporary if the body's defensive mechanisms are effective. A localinfection may persist and spread by extension to become an acute, subacute, or chronic clinical infection or disease state. A local infection may also become systemic when the microorganisms gain access to the lymphatic or vascular system. 2. an infectious disease. |
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Invasive | -- | 1. having the quality of invasiveness. 2. involving puncture or incision of the skin or insertion of an instrument or foreign material into the body; said of diagnostic techniques. |
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In situ | -- | in the natural or normal place; confined to the site of origin without invasion of neighbouring tissues. |
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Injection | -- | (L. injectio, from inicere to throw into) the act of forcing a liquid into a part, as into the subcutaneous tissues, the vascular tree, or an organ. Cf. infusion. |
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Inflammation | -- | (L. inflammatio; inflammare to set on fire) a localized protective response elicited by injury or destruction of tissues, which serves to destroy, dilute, or wall off (sequester) both the injurious agent and the injured tissue. It is characterized in the acute form by the classical signs of pain (dolour), heat (colour), redness (rubor), swelling (tumour), and loss of function (functio laesa). Histologically, it involves a complex series of events, including dilatation of arterioles, capillaries, and venules, with increased permeability and blood flow; exudation of fluids, including plasma proteins; and leucocytic migration into the inflammatory focus. |
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Liposome | -- | (lipo + Gr. soma body) a spherical particle in an aqueous medium, formed by a lipid bilayer enclosing an aqueous compartment. |
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Lymphocytes | -- | White cells of the blood that are derived from stem cells of the lymphoid series. Two main classes, T and B lymphocytes, are recognised, the latter responsible (when activated) for production of antibody, the former subdivided into sub sets (helper , suppressor , cytotoxic T cells), and responsible both for cell mediated immunity and for stimulating B cells. |
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Medication | -- |
(L. medicatio) impregnation with a medicine. 2. the administration of remedies. 3. a medicament. |
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Messenger RNA | -- | Single stranded RNA molecule that specifies the amino acid sequence of one or more polypeptide chains. This information is translated during protein synthesis when ribosomes bind to the mRNA. In prokaryotes, mRNA is the primary transcript from a DNA sequence and proteinsynthesis starts while the mRNA is still being synthesised. Prokaryote mRNAs are usually very short lived (average t_ 5mins.). In contrast, in eukaryotes the primary transcripts (HnRNA) are synthesised in the nucleus and they are extensively processed to give the mRNA that is exported to the cytoplasm where protein synthesis takes place. This processing includes the addition of a 5' 5' linked 7 methyl guanylate "cap" at the 5' end and a sequence of adenylate groups at the 3' end, the poly A "tail", as well as the removal of any introns and the splicing together of exons; only 10% of HnRNA leaves the nucleus. Eukaryote mRNAs are comparatively long lived with t_ ranging from 30min. to 24hr. |
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Mortality | -- | the mortality rate; the proportion of deaths to population or to a specific number of the population. |
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Mechanism | -- | (Gr. m chan machine) the manner of combination of parts; processes, etc., which subserve a common function. |
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Monoclonal | -- | Used of a cell line whether within the body or in culture to indicate that it has a single clonal origin. Monoclonal antibodies are produced by a single clone of hybridoma cells, and are therefore a single species of antibody molecule. |
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Myeloma | -- | (myelo + oma) a tumour composed of cells of the type normally found in the bone marrow. |
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Pharmaceutical | -- |
1. pertaining to pharmacy or to drugs. 2. a medicinal drug |
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Postoperative | -- | occurring after a surgical operation. |
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Probe | -- | General term for a piece of DNA or RNA corresponding to a gene or sequence of interest, that has been labelled either radioactively, or with some other detectable molecule, such as biotin, digoxygenin or fluorescein. As stretches of DNA or RNA with complementary sequences will (hybridise), a probe will label viral plaques, bacterial colonies or bands on a gel that contain the gene of interest. See also Northern blots, Southern blots. |
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Passage | -- | 1. an evacuation of the bowels. 2. the introduction of a catheter, probe, sound, or bougie through a natural channel such as the urethra. |
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Receptor | -- |
1. a molecular structure within a cell or on the surface characterized by (1) selective binding of a specific substance and (2) a specific physiologic effect that accompanies the binding, e.g., cell surface receptors for peptide hormones, neurotransmitters, antigens, complement fragments, and immunoglobulins and cytoplasmic receptors for steroid hormones. 2. a sensory nerve terminal that responds to stimuli of various kinds. |
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Research | -- | careful a diligent search; a close searching; studious inquiry or examination. |
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Recombinant | -- | 1. a cell or an individual with a new combination of genes not found together in either parent; usually applied to linked genes. |
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Respiratory | -- | (re + L. spirare to breathe) pertaining to respiration. |
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Rheumatoid arthritis | -- | Chronic inflammatory disease in which there is destruction of joints. Considered by some to be an autoimmune disorder in which immune complexes are formed in joints and excite an inflammatory response (complex mediated hypersensitivity). Cell mediated (Type IV) hypersensitivity also occurs, and macrophages accumulate. This in turn leads to the destruction of the synovial lining (see pannus). |
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Specific | -- | (L. specificus) 1. pertaining to a species. 2. produces by a single kind of microorganism. 3. a remedy specially indicated for any particular disease. 4. in immunology, pertaining to the special affinity of antigen for the corresponding antibody. |
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Serotonin | -- | A neurotransmitter and hormone (176 D), found in vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. |
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Surgical | -- | of, pertaining to, or correctable by surgery. |
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Segment | -- | (L. segmentum a piece cut off) a portion of a larger body or structure, set off by natural or arbitrarily established boundaries. |
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Therapy | -- | (Gr. therapeia service done to the sick) the treatment of disease; therapeutics. |
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Tumor | -- | Strictly, any abnormal swelling, but usually applied to a mass of neoplastic cells. |
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Tumor cell | -- | Cell derived from a tumor in an animal. Refers to a tumor causing malignant cell, and not an adventitious normal cell. Loosely, a transformed cell able to give rise to tumors. |
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Tumor necrosis factor | -- | TNF or cachetin, originally described as a tumor inhibiting factor in the blood of animals exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide or Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG). Preferentially kills tumor cells in vivo and in vitro, causes necrosis of certain transplanted tumors in mice and inhibits experimental metastases. Human TNF is a protein of 157 amino acids and has a wide range of pro inflammatory actions. Usually considered a cytokine. |
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Vessel | -- | Water conducting system in the xylem, consisting of a column of cells (vessel elements) whose end walls have been perforated or totally degraded, resulting in an uninterrupted tube. |
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Virus | -- | Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites of living but non cellular nature, consisting of DNA or RNA and a protein coat. They range in diameter from 20 300nm. Class I viruses (Baltimore classification) have double stranded DNA as their genome; Class II have a single stranded DNA genome; Class III have a double stranded RNA genome; Class IV have a positive single stranded RNA genome, the genome itself acting as mRNA; Class V have a negative single stranded RNA genome used as a template for mRNA synthesis, and Class VI have a positive single stranded RNA genome but with a DNA intermediate not only in replicationbut also in mRNA synthesis. The majority of viruses are recognised by the diseases they cause in plants, animals and prokaryotes. Viruses of prokaryotes are known as bacteriophages. |