Term | Meaning |
adrenal gland | endocrine glands located above each kidney that secrete chemicals (hormones) that affect the body's functioning. |
antibiotic | substance that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria. |
antigen | a substance, usually foreign to the body, that stimulates the production of antibodies. |
antibodies | protein substances made by white blood cells in response to the presence of foreign antigens that attach to and destroy the antigens. |
jaundice | yellow skin pigmentation. |
bilirubin | a chemical pigment; high levels in the bloodstream caues jaundice. |
autoimmune | condition where the body makes antibodies against its own good cells and tissues, causing inflammation and injury to one's self. |
congenital anomalies | irregularity in a structure or organ that an infant is born with, such as webbed fingers or toes and heart defects. |
contralateral | Opposite side as. |
ipsilateral | Same side as. |
dialysis | literally means complete separation. Separating out from the blood the harmful waste products of the body that are normally removed by the urine. |
ectopic pregnancy | pregnancy where the embryo implants outside the uterus - most often in the fallopian tubes and sometimes on the ovary or within abdominal cavity. |
parathyroid glands | four endocrine glands located on the dorsal side of the thyroid gland that produce a hormone and function entirely separately from the thyroid gland. |
parathyroid hormone | chemical created from the parathyroid glands that increase blood calcium and maintains it at a normal level. |
prolapse | condition where an organ or tissue slides forward or downward from its correct position. |
recombinant DNA | process of taking a gene from one organism and inserting it (recombining it) into the DNA of another organism. |
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) | a method of producing multiple copies of a single gene, which is an important tool in recombinant DNA technology. |
syndrome | a group of signs or symptoms that commonly occur together and indicate a particular disease or abnormal condition. |
symbiosis | refers to two organisms living together in close association, either for mutual benefit or not. |
parasitism | an example of symbiosis, occurring when one organism benefits and the other does not. |
symphysis | a joint in which the bony surfaces are firmly united by a layer of fibrocartilage. |
TURP | transurethral section of the prostate gland is removal of a portion of the prostate gland with an instrument passed through the urethra. |
ultrasonography | a diagnostic technique using ultrasound waves (inaudible sound waves) to produce an imaeg or photograph of an organ or tissue. |
echocardiograms | ultrasound images of the heart. |
sonogram | a fetal ultrasound image. |