Stem Cell

Stem Cell terms

1. Adipocyte Fat cell.
2. Adipose tissue A type of connective tissue that stores fat.
3. Adult (or somatic) stem cell Stem cells found in different tissues of the developed, adult organism that remain in an undifferentiated, or unspecialized, state.
4. Allogeneic cell transplantation Transplantation of cells from one individual to another of the same species.
5. Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant A transplant involving the infusion of a donor's genetically matched bone marrow or stem cells to produce new, healthy marrow.
6. Allogeneic transplantation Cell, tissue or organ transplants from one member of a species to a genetically different member of the same species.
7. allogenic Taken from different individuals of the same species. Also called allogeneic.
8. Amnion The thin membrane that lines the fluid-filled sac in which the embryo develops in higher vertebrates, reptiles and birds.
9. Amniotic fluid Liquid contents of the amniotic sac of higher vertebrates, containing foetal, but not maternal cells.
10. Anemia (a-NEE-mee-a) A condition in which the number of red blood cells is below normal.
11. Aneuploid (an you ployd') describes an abnormal (not normal) amount of DNA in cells.
12. angiogenesis (AN-jee-oh-JEN-eh-sis) Blood vessel formation. Tumor angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow.
13. Anterior visceral endoderm (AVE) Specific tissue structure arising in the early embryo that helps establish the anterior-posterior axis of the organism.
14. Antibody (AN-tee-BAH-dee) A type of protein made by plasma cells (a type of white blood cell) in response to an antigen (foreign substance).
15. Antibody (Immunoglobulin) A protein produced by the white blood cells (leukocytes) to battle foreign substances, such as bacteria, that enter the body.
16. Antigen A substance that causes the immune system to make a specific immune response.
17. Antigen presenting cells (APCs) One of a variety of cells within the body that can process antigens and display them on their surface in a form recognizable by T cells.
18. Apheresis A procedure in which blood is collected, part of the blood such as platelets or white blood cells is taken out, and the rest of the blood is returned to…
19. apoptosis (A-pop-TOH-sis) A type of cell death in which a series of molecular steps in a cell leads to its death.
20. Astrocyte (AS-troh-site) A star-shaped cell that helps nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord work the way they should. An astrocyte is a type of glial cell.
21. Autoantibody An antibody that reacts with antigens found on the cells and tissues of an individual's ownbody. Autoantibodies can cause autoimmune diseases.
22. Autoimmune disease (AW-toh-ih-MYOON...) A condition in which the body recognizes its own tissues as foreign and directs an immune response against them.
23. Autologous (aw-TAH-luh-gus) Taken from an individual's own tissues, cells, or DNA.
24. Autologous Stem Cell Transplant A transplant involving the infusion of a patient's own bone marrow or stem cells to produce new, healthy marrow.
25. Autologous transplant Cell, tissue or organ transplants from one individual back to the same individual. Such transplants do not induce an immune response and are not rejected.
26. Autosome A chromosome that is not involved in sex determination.
27. Axis A straight line passing through a spherical body between its two poles. The central line of the body or any of its parts. The vertebral column.
28. B cells Also known as B lymphocytes. Each B cell is capable of making one specific antibody.
29. Bacteria (bak-TEER-ee-uh) A large group of single-cell microorganisms. Some cause infections and disease in animals and humans.
30. Blastocoel The fluid-filled cavity inside the blastocyst of the developing embryo.
31. Blastocyst A mammalian embryo (fertilized ovum) in the early stages of development, approximately up to the time of implantation.
32. Blastocyst stage An early stage in the development of embryos, when (in mammals) the embryo is a spherical body comprising an inner cell mass that will become the fetus…
33. Blastula In animals, an early embryo form that follows the morula stage; typically, a single-layered sheet (blastoderm) or ball of cells (blastocyst ).
34. Blood Cell Separator A machine, used in apheresis, which distinguishes the small fraction of stem cells in the blood from all other blood cells, so that the stem cells may be…
35. Bone marrow (bone MAYR-oh) The soft, sponge-like tissue in the center of most bones. It produces white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
36. Bone marrow (BM) cell Refers to both hematopoietic and mesenchymal (stromal) cells.
37. Bone Marrow Aspiration (bone MAYR-oh as-pih-RAY-shun) The removal of a small sample of bone marrow (usually from the hip) through a needle for examination under a microscope.
38. Bone Marrow Biopsy (bone MAYR-oh BY-op-see) The removal of a sample of tissue from the bone marrow with a needle for examination under a microscope.
39. Bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) One of at least two types of multipotient stem cells: hematopoietic stem cell and mesenchymal stem cell.
40. Bone marrow stromal cell Also known as mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow stromal cells are a mixed population of cells derived from the non-blood forming fraction of bone marrow.
41. Bone marrow stromal cells A mixed population of stem cells found in bone marrow that does not give rise to blood cells but instead generates bone, cartilage, fat, and fibrous…
42. Bone marrow transplantation (BMTx) Trans-planta-tion of bone marrow from one individual to another. Autologous BMTx is a process in which a patient's healthy bone marrow is withdrawn and…
43. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) Proteins thatare involved in the formation of embryonic bone. BMPs operate at several stages in this formation of bone, beginning with the early stages of…
44. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) A growth factor synthesized in the brain that stimulates neurite outgrowth and supports survival of neurons.
45. Cardiomyoctes Heart muscle cells.
46. Cartilage (KAR-tih-lij) A tough, flexible tissue that lines joints and gives structure to the nose, ears, larynx, and other parts of the body.
47. Cavitation A process that occurs during the formation of the blastocyst and establishes the polarity of embryonic cells.
48. Cell culture (SEL KUL-chur) The growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast, or human, plant, or animal cells in the laboratory.
49. cell cycle (SEL SY-kul) The process a cell goes through each time it divides. The cell cycle consists of a series of steps during which the chromosomes and other…
50. Cell division Formation of two or more daughter cells from a single parent cell. The nucleus divides first, followed by the formation of a cell membrane between the…
51. Cell line 1. A cell lineage that can be maintained in vitro. Significant genetic changes can occur during lengthy periods in culture, so that the genotype of…
52. Cell type A specific subset of cells within the body, defined by their appearance, location and function.
53. Cell-based therapies Treatment in which stem cells are induced to differentiate into the specific cell type required to repair damaged or destroyed cells or tissues.
54. Cellular therapy A field of medicine that uses cells to repair tissues that have been damaged by human disease or to generate new tissues with desired functional…
55. Central Line A central line is a flexible tube that is inserted near a patient's heart or into one of the large blood vessels near the heart.
56. Cerebrospinal fluid (seh-REE-broh-SPY-nul...) The fluid that flows in and around the hollow spaces of the brain and spinal cord, and between two of the meninges (the thin…
57. Chemotherapy (KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
58. Chimera (or chimaera) 1. An organism whose cells are not all genotypically identical. This can occur as a result of: somatic mutation; grafting (see: graft…
59. Chondrocytes Cartilage cells.
60. Chorion The multilayered, outermost fetal membrane. As pregnancy progresses, part of the chorion becomes the placenta.
61. Chromosomes The self-replicating genetic structure of cells containing the cellular DNA. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
62. Cleavage The process of cell division in the very early embryo before it becomes a blastocyst.
63. Clonality A line of cells that is genetically identical to the originating cell; in this case, a stem cell.
64. Clone An exact genetic replica of a specific gene or an entire organism. See Cloning.
65. Cloning The mitotic division of a progenitor cell to give rise to a population of identical daughter cells or clones.
66. Cluster differentiation (CD) Cell membrane molecules used to classify leukocytes into subsets.
67. Colony-forming cells Groups of cells growing on a solid nutrient surface with each group being created from the multiplication of an individual cell.
68. Colony-stimulating factors Diffusible proteins that stimulate the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells.
69. Cord blood Blood remaining in the umbilical cord immediately following the birth of the baby. It contains a rich concentration of stem cells.
70. Cord blood stem cells See Umbilical cord blood stem cells.
71. Cornea The transparent part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil and allows light to enter the inside.
72. Cripto Transcription factor expressed by pluripotent stem cells and early embryos.
73. cryopreservation The process of cooling and storing cells, tissues, or organs at very low or freezing temperatures to save them for future use.
74. Cryopreserved embryos Embryos, generally those produced by in vitro fertilization exceeding the number that can be transferred for uterine implantation, that have been frozen.
75. Culture medium Any nutrient system for the cultivation of cells, bacteria or other organisms; usually a complex mixture of organic and inorganic nutrients.
76. Cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk protein) Protein kinase that has to be complexed with a cyclin protein in order to act; different Cdk-cyclin complexes are thought to trigger different steps in…
77. Cytokines A generic term for a large variety of regulatory proteins produced and secreted by cells and used to communicate with other cells.
78. Cytoplasm (SY-toh-PLA-zum) The fluid inside a cell but outside the cell's nucleus. Most chemical reactions in a cell take place in the cytoplasm.
79. Decidual cells A cellular matrix that first surrounds an implanted embryo and later occupies most of the endometrium.
80. Dendrite Extension of a nerve cell, typically branched and relatively short, that receives stimuli from other nerve cells.
81. Dental pulp The soft part inside a tooth, containing blood vessels and nerves.
82. Differentiation In cancer, refers to how mature (developed) the cancer cells are in a tumor. Differentiated tumor cells resemble normal cells and tend to grow and spread…
83. Diploid The status of having two complete sets of chromosome s, most commonly one set of paternal origin and the other of maternal origin.
84. Diploid human cell A cell having forty-six chromosomes.
85. Directed differentiation Manipulating stem cell culture conditions to induce differentiation into a particular cell type.
86. DNA The molecules inside cells that carry genetic information and pass it from one generation to the next. Also called deoxyribonucleic acid.
87. DNA methylation A type of chemical modification of DNA that regulates gene expression.
88. Ectoderm The outer of three germ layers of the early embryo that gives rise in later development to the skin, cells of the amnion and chorion, nervous system…
89. Edmonton protocol A procedure (developed in Canada) for transplanting pancreatic islet cells to the liver of a patient with Type I diabetes.
90. Egg cylinder An asymmetric embryonic structure that helps to determine the body plan of the mouse.
91. Embryo Early stage in the development of a plant or an animal. In vertebrate animals (have a backbone or spinal column), this stage lasts from shortly after…
92. Embryoid bodies (EBs) Spheroid colonies seen in culture produced by the growth of embryonic stem cells in suspension.
93. Embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells A type of pluripotent stem cell derived from teratocarcinoma (usually a testis tumor).
94. Embryonic disk A group of cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, which later develops into an embryo.
95. Embryonic germ (EG) cells Cells found in a specific part of the embryo/fetus called the gonadal ridge that normally develop into mature gametes.
96. Embryonic germline cells Embryonic germline cells, also called EG cells, are pluripotent stem cells derived from the primitive germline cells (those cells that give rise to eggs…
97. Embryonic stem (ES) cells Cell lines derived from early embryos that have the potential to differentiate into all types of somatic cells as well as to form germ line cells, and…
98. Embryonic stem cell Also called ES cells, embryonic stem cells are cells derived from the inner cell mass of developing blastocysts.
99. Embryonic stem cell line Embryonic stem cells, which have been cultured under in vitro conditions that allow proliferation without differentiation for months to years.
100. Embryonic stem cells (Abbreviation: ES cells). Cells of the early embryo that can give rise to all differentiated cells, including germ line cells.