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The Fran Glossary
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abduct—To draw away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part or limb.
ablation—Surgical excision or amputation of a body part or tissue.
acinobacter—A genus of microorganisms widely distributed in nature that are usually nonpathogenic. Previously known as Mima polymorpha.
acromioclavicular—Pertaining to the acromion and clavicle, especially to the articulation between the acromion and clavicle.
acupressure—A form of theraputic massage in which pressure is applied with the thumbs and palms to those areas of the body used in acupuncture.
acute lymphangitis—is a bacterial infection in the lymphatic vessels which is characterized by painful, red streaks below the skin surface. This is a potentially serious infection which can rapidly spread to the bloodstream and be fatal. Acute lymphangitis affects a critical member of the immune system--the lymphatic system. Waste materials from nearly every organ in the body drain into the lymphatic vessels and are filtered in small organs called lymph nodes. Foreign bodies, such as bacteria or viruses, are processed in the lymph nodes to generate an immune response to fight an infection. In acute lymphangitis, bacteria enter the body through a cut, scratch, insect bite, sukrgical wound, or other skin injury. Once the bacteria enter the lymphatic system, they multiply rapidly and follow the lymphatic vessel like a highway. The infected lymphatic vessel becomes inflamed, causing red streaks that are visible below the skin surface. The growth of the bacteria occurs so rapidly that the immune system does not respond fast enough to stop the infaction. If left untreated, the bacteria can cause tissue destruction in the area of the infection. A pus-filled, painful lump called an abscess may be formed in the infected area. Cellulitis, a generalized infection of the lower skin layers, may also occur. In addition, the bacteria may invade the bloodstream and cause septicemia. Lay people, for that reason, often call the red streaks seen in the skin "blood poisoning". Septicemia is a very serious illness and may be fatal.
adenomegaly—Enlargement of a gland; called also adenoncus and adenopathy.
adenopathy—1. Adenomegaly. 2. Enlargement of a lymph node. 3. Lymphadenopathy.
adenoviral—Adj. Of noun adenovirus---Any of a group of DNA-containing viruses that cause conjunctivitis and upper respiratory tract infections in humans.
adipose—Of, relating to, or composed of animal fat; fatty. The fat found in adipose tissue.
adjuvant—A term used to describe auxiliary treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation treatments, or hormone therapy, used after cancer surgery to help control, reduce, or destroy any microscopic collections of cancer cells that may have circulated to other parts of the body.
afferent—Carrying inward to a central organ or section, as nerves that conduct impulses from the periphery of the body to the brain or spinal cord.
agenesis—Absence or incomplete development of an organ or body part.
albumin—A class of simple, water-soluble proteins that can be coagulated by heat and are found in egg white, blood serum, milk, and many other animal and plant juices and tissues.
alginate—An absorptive dressing made from seaweed. A salt of alginic acid, such as solium alginate.
alleviation—Noun of alleviate - To make (pain, for example) more bearable: a drug that alleviates cold symptoms.
allopathic—Adj. of allopathy - A method of treating disease with remedies that produce effects different from those caused by the disease itself.
ameliorate—To make or become better; improve.
amelioration—. The act or an instance of ameliorating. 2. The state of being ameliorated; improvement.
amenable—Responsive to advice, authority, or suggestion. Open to testing, criticism, or judgement.
analogous—Similar in function but not in structure and evolutionary origin.
anastomosis—The surgical connection of separate or severed tubular hollow organs to form a continuous channel.
anecdotal—Of, characterized by, or full of anecdotes.
aneurysm—A localized, pathological, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel caused by a disease or weakening of the vessel’s wall.
angiodysplasia—Vascular ectasis in the mucosa of the intestine, usually the cecum, an occasional cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Lesions increase with advancing age and can cause occult or obvious blood loss.
angiogenesis—Growth of new blood vessels.
angioma—A tumor whose cells tend to form blood vessels or lymph vessels; a tumor made up of blood vessels or lymph vessels.
angiomatoid—1. Resembling an angioma. 2. A mass of dilated, twisted vessels that resemble an angioma.
anomalies—Deviations or departures from the normal or common order, form or rule.
antibody—A protein substance produced in the blood or tissues in response to a specific antigen, such as a bacterium or a toxin. Antibodies destroy or weaken bacteria and neutralize organic poisons, thus forming the basis of immunity.
antigen—A substance that when introduced into the body stimulates the production of an antibody. Antigens include toxins, bacteria, foreign blood cells, and the cells of transplanted organs.
antimycotic—Anti-fungal; antagonistic to fungi.
antioxidant—A chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation.
antithrombotic—1. Preventing or interfering with the formation of thrombi. 2. An agent that so acts.
aplasia—Defective development resulting in the absence of all or part of an organ or tissue.
aplastic—Unable to form or regenerate tissue. Of, relating to, or characterized by aplasia.
apoptosis—Programmed cell death.
aromatherapy—The use of selected fragrant substances in lotion and inhalents in an effort to affect mood and promote health.
aromatherapy—The use of selected fragrant substances in lotion and inhalents in an effort to affect mood and promote health.
arteriole—One of the small terminal branches of an artery, especially one that connects with a capillary.
arteriosclerosis—A chronic disease in which thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls result in impaired blood circulation.
ascites—An abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in the abdominal cavity.
assimilation—1a. The act or process of assimilating. b. The state of being assimilated. 2. Physiology. The conversion of nutrients into living tissue; constructive meetabolism.
asymptomatic—Neither causing nor exhibiting symptoms of disease.
atrophy—A wasting or decrease in size of a bodily organ, tissue, or part owing to disease, injury or lack of use.
attenuated—Bacteria or viruses made less virulent.
auricular—1. Of or relating to the sense of hearing or the organs of hearing. 2. Perceived by or spoken into the ear. 3. Shaped like an ear or an earlobe, having ear like parts or extensions. 4. Of or relating to an auricle of the heart, auricular fibrillation.
autogenous—Means self-generated and is the term applied to products which arise within the body. It is applied to bacterial vaccines manufactured from the organisms found in discharges from the body and used for the treatment of the person from whom the bacteria were derived.
autologous—Derived or transferred from the same individual's body.
autonomic—1. Self-controlling; functioning independently. 2. Relating to the autonomic nervous system.
avalvular—Nonvalvular; without valves.
axilla—The armpit; plural axillae.
ayurvedic medicine—An ancient Hindu medical system, promoted by alternative medical practitioners as a means of restoring balance and health by harmonizing mind and body. It uses herbal remedies, massage therapy, yoga, and pulse diagnosis.
bariatric—Adj. of bariatrics - The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity.
B cell—A type of lymphocyte that plays a major roll in the body's humoral immune response. When stimulated by a particular foreign antigen, these lymphocytes differentiate into plasma cells that synthesize antibodies that circulate in the blood and react with the specific antigens. Also called B lymphocyte.
benzopyrones—Yellow crystalline, aromatic hydrocarbon, C20H12, that is a carcinogen found in coal tar and cigarette smoke.
biliary—1. Of or relating to bile, the bile ducts, or the gallbladder. 2. Transporting bile.
biochemistry—1. The study of the chemical substances and vital processes occurring in living organisms; biological chemistry; physiological chemistry. 2. The chemical composition of a particular living system or biological substance.
bioflavenoid—Any of a grooup of biologically active substanses found in plants and functioning in the maintenance of the walls of small blood vessels in mammals.
biopsy—The process which removes a sample of diseased or infected tissue for microscopic examination to aid in diagnosis.
bioreactor—1. A container, such as a large fermentation chamber, for growing living organisms that are used in the industrial production of substances such as pharmaceuticals, antibodies, or vaccines. 2. A living organism, such as a bacterium or yeast that is used
BMI—Body-mass index; numerical expression of height and weight.
brachial—Of. Relating to, or resembling the arm or a similar or homologous part, such as the foreleg, wing, or other forelimb of a vertebrate.
bullous—Like a blister or vesicle.
cachexia—A state of ill health, malnutrition, and wasting. It may occur in many chronic diseases, malignancies, and infections.
canalicular—Adj. Of canaliculus---A small canal or duct in the body, such as the minute channels in compact bone.
cannula—A flexible tube, usually containing a trocar at one end, that is inserted into a bodily cavity, duct, or vessel to drain fluid or administer a substance such as medication.
cannulated—To insert a cannula into (a bodily cavity, duct, or vessel), as for the drainage of fluid or the administration of medication.
caprylic acid—A liquid fatty acid, CgH16O2, found in butter, and other fats and oils and having a rancid taste. It is used in the manufacture of dyes and perfumes.
carotid—Either of two major arteries, one on each side of the neck, that carry blood to the head.
caudal—Situated beneath or on the underside.
cellulitis—Is a spreading bacterial infection in the skin and the tissues just beneath the skin. Cellulitis may be caused by many different bacteria; the most common is Streptococcus. Streptococci spread rapidly over a wide area because they produce enzymes that prevent tissues from confining the infection. Staphylococci, another type of bacteria, also can cause cellulitis but it is usually limited to a smaller area. Other bacteria cause cellulitis after certain types of injuries, such as animal bites or skin injuries that occur in freshwater or salt water.
Cellulitis most commonly develops in the legs. Usually the infection appears after the skin has been damaged by an injury, ulceration, athlete's foot, or dermatitis. Areas of the skin that become swollen with fluid (edema) are most vulnerable. Cellulitis tends to recur in or near scars from surgery (for example, surgery for varicose veins). However, cellulitis also can occur in skin that hasn't been injured. The infection can spread quickly and can enter the lymph vessels and bloodstream. When this happens, infection can spread throughout the body.
centrifugal—Moving or directed away from a center or axis.
cephalad—Toward the head or anterior section.
Chakra—One of the seven centers of spiritual energy in the human body according to yoga philosophy.
chemokine—Any cytokine that causes chemotaxis, attracting neutrophils, monocytes, and T lymphocytes to assist in destroying an invading microorganism.
chemoreceptors—Sensory nerve cells or sense organs, as of smell or taste, that responds to chemical stimuli.
chondrocyte—A cartilage cell.
chronic venous insufficiency—vein weakness, three stages.
chyle—A milky fluid consisting of lymph and emulsified fat extracted from chyme by the lasteals during digestion and passed to the bloodstream through the thoracic duct.
chylosis—The formation of chyle from the food in the intestine, its digestion and absorption by the intestinal mucosa, and its mixture with the blood and conveyance to the tissues.
chylothorax—Chyle in the pleural cavities.
chylous reflux—A flowing back or ebbing of chyle.
cisterna—A fluid-containing sac or cavity in the body of an organism.
clavicle—Either of two slender bones in human beings that extend from the manubrium of the sternum to the acromion of the scapula. Also called collarbone.
clonality—The ability to form clones.
cocci—(Plural of coccus) A bacterium having a spherical or spheroidal shape.
codify—1. To reduce to a code; codify laws. 2. To arrange or systemize.
collagen—The fibrous protein constituent of bone, cartilage, tendon, and other connective tissues.
collateral—1. Situated or running side by side; parallel. 2. Coinciding in tendency or effect; concomitant or accompanying. 3. Serving to support or corroborate.
colloid—A suspension of finely divided particles in a continuous medium in which the particles are approximately 5 to 5,000 angstroms in size, do not settle out of the substance rapidly, and are not readily filtered.
colloidal—Adjective of colloid---1a. A suspension of finely divided particles in a continuous medium in which the particles are approximately 5 to 5,000 angstroms in size, do not settle out of the substance rapidly, and are not readily filtered. B. The particulate matter so suspended. 2. The gelatinous product of the thyroid gland, consisting mainly of thyroidglobulin, which serves as the precursor and storage form of thyroid hormone. 3. Gelatinous material resulting from colloid degeneration in diseased tissue.
comfrey—Any of various hairy perennial Euroasian herb of the genus Symphagtum,especially S. officenale, having variously colored flowers in coiled cymes and long used in herbal medicine. Also called healing herb.
commissure—1. A tract of nerve fibers passing from one side to the other of the spinal cord or brain. 2. The point or surface where two parts, such as the eyelids, lips, or cardiac valves, join or form a connection.
compliance—Willingness to follow a prescribed course of treatment.
compression bandaging—A bandaging technique for compression.
concomitant—Occurring or existing concurrently.
conduit—A pipe or channel for conveying fluids, such as water.
congenital—Existing at or before birth.
contiguous—Sharing an edge or boundary; touching.
contractility—The capability of contracting or causing contraction.
contracture—1. An abnormal, often permanent shortening, as of muscle or scar tissue, that results in distortion or deformity, especially of a joint of a body. 2. A deformity resulting from a contracture.
contraindications—Factors that render the administration of a drug or the carrying out of a medical procedure inadvisable.
contralateral—Taking place or originating in a corresponding part on an opposite side.
cortex—The outer layer of an internal organ or body structure, as of the kidney or adrenal gland.
cortical—Of, relating to, derived from, or consisting of cortex.
cosmesis—1. The preservation, restoration, or bestowing of bodily beauty. 2. The surgical correction of a disfiguring physical defect.
cosmesis—1. The preservation, restoration, or bestowing of bodily beauty. 2. The surgical correction of a disfiguring physical defect.
cosmology—The study of the physical universe considered as a totality of phenomena in time and space.
counterirritant—An agent that induses local inflammation to relieve inflammation in underlying or adjacent tissues.
CPDT—Complex Physical Decongestion Therapy.
craniosacral—1. Of or associated with both the cranium and the sacrum. 2. Of or relating to the parasympathetic nervous system.
cranium—1. The skull of a vertibrate. 2. The portion of the skull enclosing the brain; the braincase.
curarized—1. Poisoned with curare. 2. Treated with curare so as to relax the skeletal muscles.
curative—1. Serving or tending to cure. 2. Of or relating to the cure of a disease. Something that cures; a remedy.
CVM—Congenital Vascular Malfunction. (Reference source: LymphLink Oct.-Dec. 2004)
cyclins—A group of proteins important in regulating mitosis.
cystic—1. Of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a cyst. 2. Having or containing cysts or a cyst. 3. Enclosed in a cyst.
cysts—Hollow structures containing liquid.
cytological—Adj. Of cytology---The branch of biology that deals with the formation, structure, and function of cells.
cytoplasm—The protoplasm outside the nucleus of a cell.
debridement—Removal of the dead tissue.
degloving—Intra-oral surgical exposure of the bony mandibular structures, as by rolling the lower lip and vestibular soft tissue over the chin to expose the symphysis. The operation can also be performed in the posterior region if necessary.
dehiscence—A splitting open or a rupture, as of a surgical wound or of an organ or a structure to discharge its contents.
dendrite—A branched protoplasmic extension of a nerve cell that conducts impulses from adjacent cells inward toward the cell body.
deposition—The act of depositing, especially the laying down of matter by a natural process.
dermatitis—Inflammation of the skin.
dermatolymphangioadenitis (DLA)—Inflammation of skin, lymphatic vessels and nodes---definition by W.L. Olszewsky Jamal S, 1994
desquamation—Noun of desquamate - To shed, peel, or come off in scales. Used of skin.
diaphragmatic—Adj. of diaphragm - A muscular membrane partition separating the abdominal and thoracic cavities and functioning in respiration. Also called midriff.
diethylcarbamazine—This is the drug of choice for treatment of filariasis in humans and large roundworms in dogs and cats.
diethylstilbestrol (DES)—A synthetic estrogen that doctors prescribed to women between 1938 and 1971 in order to prevent miscarriages or premature deliveries.
dilatation—1. The act or process of expanding; dilation. 2. The condition of being expanded or stretched.
disequielibrium—Loss or lack of stability or equilibrium.
distal—Anatomically located far from a point of reference, such as an origin or a point of attachment.
distend—To swell out or expand from or as if from internal pressure. Dilate.
distention—The act of swelling out or expanding from as if from internal pressure.
dorsal—Of, toward, on, in, or near the back or upper surfaces of an organ, a part, or an organism.
dorsum—1. The back. 2. The upper, outer surface of an organ, an appendage, or a part: the dorsum of the foot.
dysesthesia—Abnormal sensations on the skin, such as a feeling of numbness, tingling, prickling, or a burning or cutting pain.
dysplastic—(Adj. of dysplasia) Abnormal development or growth of tissues, organs, or cells.
echography—The use of ultrasound to photograph the echo produced when sound waves are reflected from tissues of different density.
ectopic—Adj. Of ectopia---An abnormal location or position of an organ or a body part, occurring congenitally or as the result of injury.
edematous—(Adj. of edema) An excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue spaces or a body cavity.
efficacy—Power or capacity to produce a desired effect; effectiveness.
effusion—The seeping of serous, purulent, or bloody fluid into a body cavity or tissue.
elastin—A yellow elastic fibrous mucoprotein that is the major protein of elastic structure such as blood vessels.
electrolyte—Any of various ions, such as sodium, potassium, or chloride, required by cells to regulate the electric charge and flow of water molecules across the cell membranes.
elephantiasis—Chronic, often extreme enlargement and hardening of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue, especially of the legs and external genitals, resulting from lymphatic obstruction and usually caused by infestation of the lymph glands and vessels with a filarial worm.
embryogenesis—The development and growth of an embryo.
empirically—Adj. of empirical - Guided by practical experience and not theory, especially in medicine.
endemic—Prevalent in, or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people; for instance, diseases endemic to the tropics.
endocrine—Of or relating to endocrine glands or the hormones secreted by them.
endothelial—(Adj. of endothelium) A thin layer of flat epithelial cells that lines serous cavities, lymph vessels, and blood vessels.
enigma—One that is puzzling, ambiguous, or inexplicable.
enteropathy—A disease of the intestinal tract.
enzyme—Any of numerous proteins or conjucated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts.
epidemiological—Adj. of epidemiology - The branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of diseases in populations.
epididymis—A small oblong organ resting on and beside the posterior surface of a testes.
epididymitis—Inflammation of the epididymis, usually as a result of infection, and rarely as a result of trauma or urinary reflex from the urethra.
epididymo-orchitis—Epididymitis with orchitis.
epifascial—Upon the surface of a fascia, denoting a method of injecting drugs in which the solution is put on the fascia lata instead of injected into the substance of the muscle.
epithelium—Membranous tissue composed of one or more layers of cells separated by very little intercellular substance and forming the covering of most internal and external surfaces of the body and its organs.
erysipelas—An acute disease of the skin and subcantaneous tissue caused by localized inflammation and fever. Also called Saint Anthony's fire.
erythema—Redness of the skin caused by dilatation and congestion of the capillaries, often a sign of inflammation or infection.
erythema nodosum—Nodal fever; a dermatosis marked by the sudden formation of painful nodes on the extensor surfaces of the lower extremities, with lesions that are self-limiting but tend to recur; associated with arthralgia and fever, or may be the result of drug sensitivity or associated with sarcoidosis and various infections.
erythrocite—Red blood cell, a cell in the blood of vertebrates that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the tissues.
eschar—A dry scab or slough formed in the skin as a result of a burn or by the action of a corrosive or caustic substance.
eschymoses—The oozing of blood from a blood vessel into the tissues, usually the result of a bruise. This causes a bluish discoloration of the skin.
etiological—(Adj. of etiology) 1a. The study of causes or origins. b. The branch of medicine that deals with the causes or origins of disease. 2a. Assignment of a cause, an origin, or a reason for something. b. The cause or origin of a disease or disorder as determined by medical diagnosis.
etiopathology—Pathogenesis.
exacerbation—(Noun of exacerbate) To increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate.
excise—To remove by or as if by cutting.
exenteration—The removal of the contents of an organ.
exogenous—Having a cause external to the body.
extirpation—Removal by surgery.
extracellular—Located or occurring outside a cell or cells.
extrapolation—Noun of extrapolate - To infer or estimate by extending or projecting known information.
extravasation—(Noun of extravasate) To force the flow (of blood or lymph) from a vessel out into surrounding tissue.
extravascular—Located or occurring outside a blood or lymph vessel.
exudate—A substance that has oozed forth.
exudative—(Adj. of exudation) The act or an instance of oozing forth.
fascia—A sheet of fibrous tissue that envelopes the body beneath the skin. It also encloses muscles and groups of muscles and separates their several layers or groups.
fibrin—An elastic, insoluble, whitish protein produced by the action of thrombin or fibrinogen and forming an interlacing fibrous network in the coagulation of blood.
fibrinolytic—Adjective of fibrinolysis---The breakdown of fibrin in blood clots, and the prevention of the polymerization of fibrin into new clots.
fibroblast—A stellate or spindle-shaped cell with cytoplasmic processes present in connective tissue, capable of forming collagen fibers. Is sometimes called a fibrocyte. A cell that gives rise to connective tissue.
fibroblastic—Relating to fibroblasts.
fibrofatty—Both fibrous and fatty.
fibrosis—The formation of excessive fibrous tissue, as in a reparative or reactive process.
filarial—(Adj. of filarial) Any of various slender, threadlike nematode worms of the superfamily Filario-idea that are parasitic in vertebrates and are often transmitted as larvae by mosquitos and other biting insects. The adult form lives in the blood and lymphatic tissues, causing inflammation and obstruction that can lead to elephantiasis.
fistulae—Abnormal ducts or passages resulting from injury, disease, or a congenital disorder that connects an abscess, a cavity, or a hollow organ to the body surface or to another hollow organ.
flexion—The act of bending a joint or limb in the body by the action of flexors. The resulting condition of being bent.
foci—Plural of focies - A point at which rays of light or other radiation converge or from which they appear to diserge, as after refraction or reflection in an optical system: the focus of a lens.
friable—Readily crumbled.
gamma camera—An electronic instrument used in medical diagnostics to visualize the distribution of radioactive compounds in animal tissue.
gluteus—Any of the three large muscles of each buttock, especially the gluteus maximus, that extend, abduct, and rotate the thigh.
glycoprotein—A conjugated protein containing one or more covalently linked carbohydrate residues. While technically describing conjugates in which the carbohydrate is less than 4% by weight, the term is often used generically to include the mucoproteins and proteoglycans.
glycosaminoglycan—A protein- polysaccharide complex formed from proteoglycans and a large amount of polysacchoride (up to 95%).
gradient—1. The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure, changes relative to change in a given variable, especially distance. 2. A series of progressively increasing or decreasing differences in the growth rate, metabolism, or physiological activity of a cell, an organ, or an organism.
gram-positive—Of, relating to, or being a bacterium that retains the violet stain used in Gram's method.
Gram's method—A staining technique used to classify bacteria in which a bacterial specimen is first stained with crystal violet, then treated with an iodine solution, decolorized with alcohol, and counterstained with safranine, Gram-positive bacteria retain the violet stain; gram-negative bacteria do not.
granulocyte—Any of a group of white blood cells, cells having granules in the cytoplasm.
hamartoma—A tumor resulting from new growth of normal tissue. The cells grow spontaneously, reach maturity, and then do not reproduce. Thus the growth is self-limiting and benign.
hemangioma—A benign skin lesion consisting of dense, usually elevated masses of dilated blood vessels.
hemangiomatosis—Multiple angiomata of the blood vessels.
hematocrit—1. The percentage by volume of packed red blood cells in a sample of blood after centrifugation. 2. A centrifuge used to determine the volume of blood cells and plasma in a sample of blood.
hematoma—A localized collection of blood, usually clotted, in an organ, space or tissue, due to a break in the wall of a blood vessel.
hemodynamics—The Study of the forces involved in the circulation of blood.
hemolysis—The distruction or dissolution of red blood cells, with subsequent release of hemoglobin.
hemorrhage—Excessive discharge of blood from the blood vessels; profuse bleeding.
hemosiderin—A protein that stores iron in the body, derived chiefly from the hemoglobin released during hemolysis.
heterogeneity—The quality or state of being heterogeneous.
heterogeneous—Consisting of dissimilar elements or parts.
heteroplasia—The development of tissue at a location where that type of tissue would not normally occur.
histological—(Adj. of histology) 1. The anatomical study of the microscopic structure of animal and plant tissues. 2. The microscopic structure of tissue.
holism—1. The theory that living matter or reality is made up of organic or unified wholes that are greater than the simple sum of their parts. 2. Concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts: holistic medicine.
holistic—1. Of or relating to holism. 2a. Emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts. b. Concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts: holistic medicine.
homeobox—Any of a class of highly conserved DNA sequences, approximately 180 base pairs long, encoding a protein domain involved in binding to DNA; it was named for its initial discovery as a Drosophila locus important in homeotic mutation, but it also occurs in humans and is usually found in genes involved in the control of development.
homeopathy—A system for treating disease based on the administration of minute doses of a drug that in massive amounts produces symptoms in healthy indiiduals similar to those of the disease itself.
homeostasis—The ability or tendency of an organism or a cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes.
homolateral—Ipsilateral.
humoral—Relating to body fluids, especially serum.
hyaline—Resembling glass, as in translucence or transparency; glassy.
hydrocele—A pathological accumulation of serous fluid in a bodily cavity, especially in the scrotal pouch.
hydrocolloid—A substance that forms a gel with water.
hydrogel—A synthetic colloid that can absorb water.
hydrolysis—Decomposition of a chemical compound by reaction with water, such as the dissociation of a dissolved salt as the catalytic conversion of starch to glucose.
hydrostatic—(Adj. for hydrostatics) The branch of physics that deals with fluids at rest and under pressure.
hydrothorax—Accumulation of serous fluid in one or both pleural cavities.
hypercellularity—An increased number of cells in any location, but especially in the bone marrow.
hypercholesterolemia—1. An excess of cholesterol in the blood. 2. A familial disorder characterized by a high level of cholesterol in the blood.
hyperemia—An increase in the quantity of blood flow to a body part.
hyperetension—1. Arterial disease in which chronic high blood pressure is the primary symtom. 2. Abnormally high blood pressure.
hyperkeratosis—Hypertrophy of the cornea or the horny layer of the skin.
hyperplasia—An abnormal increase in the number of cells in an organ or a tissue with consequent enlargement.
hyperthermia—Unusually high body temperature.
hypertrophy—1. A nontumerous enlargement of an organ or a tissue as a result of an increase in the size rather than the number of constituent cells. 2. To grow or cause to grow abnormally large.
hypogastrium—The lowest of the three median regions of the abdomen.
hypoplasia—Incomplete or arrested development of an organ or a part.
hypoproteinemia—A decrease in the amount of protein in the blood.
hypoxia—Deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues.
idiopathic—Of, relating to, or designating a disease having no known cause.
iliac—Of, relating to, or situated near the ilium.
ilioinguinal—Pertaining to the groin and iliac region.
ilium—The uppermost and widest of the three bones constituting either of the lateral halves of the pelvis.
immunoglobulin—Any of a group of large glycoproteins secreted by plasma cells in vertebrates that function as antibodies in the immune response by binding the specific antigens. Immunoglobulins are found along the respiratory and intestine tracts, on mucosal surfaces, and in milk, saliva, tears, and blood serum.
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