Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «C»:
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Celiac disease, adult
Celiac disease, adult: See Celiac sprue....
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Celiac sprue
Celiac sprue: See: Celiac disease....
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Cell
Cell: The basic structural and functional unit in people
and all living things. Each cell is a small container of chemicals
and water wrapped in a membrane.
Each cell in the human body -- there are 100 trillion cells in
each of us -- contains the entire human genome, all the genetic
information ...
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Cell cloning
Cell cloning: The process of producing a group of cells
(clones), all genetically identical, from a single ancestral cell. ...
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Cell cycle
Cell cycle: The sequence of events within the
cell between cell divisions. The cell cycle is conventionally divided into the following
phases:
G0 (G zero, the G standing for gap)
G1, (G one, the first gap)
S (synthesis phase during which the DNA is
synthesized, replicated)
G2 (G tw...
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Cell fusion
Cell fusion: The melding of two or more cells into one cell called a heterokaryon. A heterokaryon may reproduce itself for at least several generations. Cell fusion provides a method for assigning specific genes to specific chromosomes.
When an undifferentiated stem cell fuses with a mature differe...
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Cell lineage
Cell lineage: A genealogic pedigree of cells related through mitotic division....
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Cell sorter, fluorescence-activated
Cell sorter, fluorescence-activated: A flow
cytometer (a scientific
instrument used to measure the characteristics of
individual cells) that is
modified for the purpose of separating (sorting) cells
based on the amount
of light (fluorescence) emitted by each cell. The
abbreviation for
fluorescen...
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Cell suicide
Cell suicide: See: Apoptosis....
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Cell therapy
Cell therapy: Treatment with cells. A technology that relies on replacing diseased or dysfunctional cells with healthy, functioning ones.
Whole blood transfusions, packed red cell transfusions, platelet transfusions, bone marrow transplants, and organ transplants are all forms of cell therapy.
Cel...
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Cell, alpha (pancreatic)
Cell, alpha (pancreatic): A type of cell in the
pancreas (the organ of the
digestive system located behind the stomach). Within the
pancreas, the alpha
cells are located in areas called the islets of Langerhans.
Alpha cells make
and release glucagon which raises the level of glucose
(sugar) in t...
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Cell, antigen-presenting
Cell, antigen-presenting: A cell that can "present" antigen in a form that T cells can recognize it. The cells that can "present" antigen include B cells and cells of the monocyte lineage (including macrophages)....
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Cell, B
Cell, B: See B cell....
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Cell, beta (pancreatic)
Cell, beta (pancreatic): A type of cell in the
pancreas (the organ of the
digestive system located behind the stomach). Within the
pancreas, the beta
cells are located in areas called the islets of Langerhans.
They constitute
the predominant type of cell in the islets. The beta cells
are importa...
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Cell, cone
Cell, cone: A type of specialized light-sensitive cell (photoreceptor) in the retina of the eye that provide sharp central vision and color vision.
By contrast, the rods are retinal photoreceptors that provide side vision and the ability to see objects in dim light (night vision)....