Biotechnology and Genetics terms starting with I

192 terms

I/E region Abbreviation for integration-excision region.
ICM cells Cells from the inner cell mass, a population of cells inside the blastula that give rise to the body of the new organism rather than to the chorion or…
ICSI See: intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
Identical twin See: monozygotic twin.
Identical twinning Process in which genetically identical organisms arise from symmetrical division and separation of totipotent cells.
idiogram See: karyogram.
idiotype An identifying property or characteristic of an item or system. 1.A plant form expected on physiological grounds to represent an optimal type for the…
IgA/Igd/IgG/IgE/IgM See: antibody class.
IGS Abbreviation for 1. internal guide sequence. 2. intergenic spacer.
imaginal disc A mass of cells in the larvae of Drosophila melanogaster and other holometabolous insects that gives rise to particular adult organs, such as antennae…
imbibition 1. The absorption of liquids or vapours into the ultramicroscopic spaces or pores found in materials. 2.
immediate early gene A viral gene that is expressed promptly after infection.
immobilized cells Cells entrapped in matrices such as alginate, polyacrylamide and agarose, for use in membrane and filter bioreactors.
immortalization The genetic transformation of a cell type into which can proliferate indefinitely.
Immortalizing oncogene A gene that upon transfection enables a primary cell to grow indefinitely in culture. (See Oncogene.)
immune response (ih-MYOON reh-SPONTS) The activity of the immune system against foreign substances (antigens).
immune system (ih-MYOON SIS-tem) The complex group of organs and cells that defends the body against infections and other diseases.
Immune system cells White blood cells or leukocytes that originate from the bone marrow. They include antigen presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, T and B lymphocytes…
Immune-function assay A general term for a number of tests based on an immune cell's ability to carry out a particular immune function.
Immunity (ih-MYOO-nih-tee) The condition of being protected against an infectious disease.
immunization A technique used to cause an immune response that results in resistance to a specific disease, especially an infectious disease.
immunoaffinity chromatography A purification technique in which an antibody is bound to a matrix and is used to isolate a protein from a complex mixture. See: affinity chromatography.
immunoassay A test that uses the binding of antibodies to antigens to identify and measure certain substances. Immunoassays may be used to diagnose disease.
immunochemical control See: immunotherapy.
Immunocompromised mice These genetically altered mice are used for transplantation experiments because they usually do not reject the transplanted tissue.
Immunodeficient Unable to develop a normal immune response to, for example, a foreign substance.
immunodiagnostics See: immunoassay.
Immunofluorescence The detection of antibodies by using special proteins labeled with fluorescein.
immunogen See: antigen.
Immunogenic Relating to or producing an immune response.
immunogenicity The ability to elicit an immune response.
immunoglobulin (IH-myoo-noh-GLOB-yoo-lin) A type of protein that acts as an antibody.
Immunohistology Examination of tissues through specific immunostaining techniques.
Immunophenotyping (IM-yoo-no-FEE-no-tie-ping) A process used to identify cells, based on the types of antigens or markers on the surface of the cell.
immunoprophylaxis The process of active or passive immunization. Active immunization with vaccines leads to long-term protection through mobilizing the organism's own…
immunosensor A biosensor having an antibody as the biological element.
immunosuppression (IH-myoo-noh-suh-PREH-shun) Suppression of the body's immune system and its ability to fight infections and other diseases.
Immunosuppressive drugs Drugs that prevent or interfere with the development of an immunologic response.
immunosuppressor A substance, an agent or a condition that prevents or diminishes the immune response.
immunotherapy (IH-myoo-noh-THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer, infections, and other diseases.
immunotoxin (IH-myoo-noh-TOK-sin) An antibody linked to a toxic substance. Some immunotoxins can bind to cancer cells and kill them.
Impeller An agitator that is used for mixing the contents of a bioreactor.
Implantation The attachement of the blastocyst to the uterine lining, and its subsequent embedding there. (Based on SMD)
Imprinting A phenomenon in which the disease phenotype depends on which parent passed on the disease gene.
in silico In a computer file. In the present context, the use of data bases of DNA and protein sequence to help answer biological questions.
In situ (in si'too) the natural or normal place; confined to the site of origin without invasion or spread to neighboring tissues.
in situ colony hybridization A procedure for screening bacterial colonies or plaques growing on plates or membranes for the presence of specific DNA sequences by the…
in situ hybridization The visualization of in vivo location of macromolecules (particularly polynucleotides and polypeptides) by the histological staining of tissue sections or…
in situ plaque hybridization See:.
In utero In the uterus.
In vitro (in VEE-troh) In the laboratory (outside the body). The opposite of in vivo (in the body).
in vitro embryo production (Abbreviation: IVEP). The combination of ovum pickup, in vitro maturation of ova, and in vitro fertilization.
In vitro fertilization (in VEE-troh FER-tih-lih-ZAY-shun) A procedure in which eggs are removed from a woman's ovary and combined with sperm outside the body to form embryos.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) The union of an egg and sperm, where the event takes place outside the body and in an artificial environment (the literal meaning of "in vitro" is "in…
in vitro maturation (Abbreviation: IVM). Culture of immature ova in the laboratory, usually until they are ready for in vitro fertilization.
in vitro mutagenesis See: directed mutagenesis.
in vitro transcription The cell-free synthesis from DNA of RNA in the test tube. Synonym: cell-free transcription.
in vitro translation The synthesis of proteins from isolated mRNA molecules in the test-tube. Synonym: cell-free translation.
In vivo In the body. The opposite of in vitro (outside the body or in the laboratory).
in vivo gene therapy The delivery of a gene or genes to a tissue or organ of a complete living individual to alleviate a genetic disorder.
in-situ conservation The conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings and…
inactivated agent A virus, bacterium or other organism that has been treated to prevent it from causing a disease. See: attenuated vaccine.
inbred line The product of inbreeding, i.e. the intercrossing of individuals that have ancestors in common.
inbreeding Matings between individuals that have one or more ancestors in common, the extreme condition being self-fertilization, which occurs naturally in many…
inbreeding depression The reduction in vigour over generations of inbreeding. This affects species which are normally outbreeding and highly heterozygous. See: hybrid vigour.
inclusion body A protein that is overproduced in a recombinant bacterium and forms a crystalline structure inside the bacterial cell.
incompatibility 1. Genetically or physiologically determined prevention of intermating. 2. A physiological interaction resulting in graft rejection or failure. 3.
incompatibility group Plasmids must belong to different incompatibility groups to co-exist within the same cell.
incomplete digest See: partial digest.
Incomplete dominance A condition where a heterozygous offspring has a phenotype that is distinctly different from, and intermediate to, the parental phenotypes.
incomplete penetrance Where the phenotype does not allow perfect prediction of the genotype as a result of interference in gene expression by the environment.
incubation 1. The hatching of eggs by means of heat, either natural or artificial. 2. Period between infection and appearance of symptoms induced by a pathogen. 3.
incubator An apparatus in which environmental conditions (light, photoperiod, temperature, humidity, etc.
indehiscent Describing a fruit or fruiting body that does not open to release its seeds or spores when ripe.
Independent assortment The random distribution during meiosis of alleles (at different genes) to the gametes that is the case when the genes in question are located on different…
indeterminate growth The condition in which the terminal bud persists and produces successive lateral branches over an indefinite period. Opposite: determinate growth.
indirect embryogenesis Plant embryo formation on callus tissues derived from explants, including zygotic or somatic embryos and seedlings. Opposite: direct embryogenesis.
indirect organogenesis Plant organ formation on callus tissues derived from explants . Opposite: direct organogenesis.
Indomethacin (IN-doh-MEH-thuh-sin) A drug that reduces pain, fever, swelling, and redness. It is also being used to reduce tumor-induced suppression of the immune…
Induced pluripotent stem cells Adult cells reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell–like state by being forced to express factors important for maintaining the "stemness" of embryonic…
inducer A low-molecular-weight compound or a physical agent that associates with a repressor protein to produce a complex that can no longer bind to the operator.
inducible A gene or gene product whose transcription or synthesis is increased by exposure of the cells to an inducer or to a condition, e.g. heat.
inducible enzyme An enzyme that is synthesized only in the presence of the substrate that acts as an inducer.
inducible gene A gene that is expressed only in the presence of a specific metabolite, the inducer.
inducible promoter The activation of a promoter in response to either the presence of a particular compound, i.e. the inducer, or to a defined external condition, e.g.
Induction The act or process of causing some specific effect to occur; for example the transcription of a specific gene or operon, or the production of a protein by…
induction media 1. Media used to induce the formation of organs or other structures. 2. Media causing variation or mutation in the tissues exposed to it.
inembryonation See: artificial inembryonation.
Infection Invasion and multiplication of germs in the body. Infections can occur in any part of the body and can spread throughout the body.
infectious agent Synonym of pathogen.
infiltrate The entry of liquid into pores or other spaces.
inflorescence The flowers of a plant, and the way those flowers are arranged.
Informatics See: bioinformatics
Informed consent A process in which a person is given important facts about a medical procedure or treatment, a clinical trial, or genetic testing before deciding whether…
Inherit In genetics, to receive genetic material from parents through biological processes.
inheritance The transmission of genes and phenotypes from generation to generation.
inherited (in-HAYR-it-ed) Transmitted through genes that have been passed from parents to their offspring (children).
inhibitor 1. Any substance or object that retards a chemical reaction. 2. A metabolite or modifier gene that interferes with a reaction or with the expression of…
Initial Being first, before anything else occurs.
initiation Causing something to start. 1. Early steps or stages of a tissue culture process. 2. Early stages of biosynthesis.