Stem Cell — page 3 of 5

Stem Cell terms

201. Inner cell mass A cluster of cells in the blastocyst from which embryonic stem cell lines can be isolated and grown in culture.
202. Inner cell mass (ICM) The cluster of cells inside the blastocyst. These cells give rise to the embryo and ultimately the fetus.
203. Insulin-promoting factor 1 A transcription factor expressed in the pancreas and necessary for the production of insulin.
204. Integrative Care At CTCA, a patient meets with both an oncologist specializing in conventional therapies as well as practitioners of complementary and alternative…
205. interleukin (in-ter-LOO-kin) One of a group of related proteins made by leukocytes (white blood cells) and other cells in the body.
206. Intravenous (IN-truh-VEE-nus) Into or within a vein. Intravenous usually refers to a way of giving a drug or other substance through a needle or tube inserted into a…
207. Irradiate Application of radiation from a source (heat, light, Xrays) to a structure or organism.
208. Karyotype All of the chromosomes in a cell or an individual organism, visible through a microsope during cell division.
209. Keratin An extremely tough protein substance found in hair, nails, skin, and cornea.
210. Keratinocytes Cells that synthesize keratin and are found in the skin, hair, and nails. A fibrous protein is produced by keratinocytes and may be hard or soft.
211. Knock-out mouse A mouse that has had one or both copies of a specific gene deleted or inactivated.
212. Lacunae The spaces occupied by cells (e.g., chondrocytes and osteocytes) of calcified tissues.
213. Lefty A developmental factor that helps determine right-left asymmetry in vertebrates.
214. Leptin A hormone produced by the placenta and fetal tissues that acts as a growth factor and modulator of metabolic and immune functions.
215. Leukemia inhibitory factor A cell messenger protein originally noted for inhibition of mouse M1 myeloid leukemia cells that also has effects including inhibiting differentiation to…
216. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) A growth factor necessary for maintaining mouse embryonic stem cells in a proliferative, undifferentiated state.
217. Leukocyte (LOO-koh-site) A white blood cell. Refers to a blood cell that does not contain hemoglobin.
218. Leukocyte (White Blood Cell) The general name for a white blood cell. Leukocytes are responsible for maintaining the immune system's response to foreign substances and infection.
219. Leukocyte common antigen Cell-surface molecule found on white blood cells and white blood cell progenitors. Also referred to as CD45.
220. Lineage A chart that traces the flow of genetic information from generation to generation.
221. Lineage surface antigen (Lin) A mixture of monoclonal antibodies that are directed against antigens found on mature hematopoietic cells of different lineages.
222. Lipase A class of enzymes which break down lipids into their component fatty acids and glycerol.
223. lipid Fat.
224. Long-term self-renewal The ability of stem cells to renew themselves by dividing into the same non-specialized cell type over long periods (many months to years) depending on…
225. Lymph Node A small rounded or bean-shaped mass of lymphatic tissue that helps the body's immune system.
226. Lymph nodes (LIMF nohdz): Small glands that help the body fight infection and disease. They filter a fluid called lymph and contain white blood cells.
227. Lymphatic system (lim-FA-tik SIS-tem) The tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight infections and other diseases.
228. Lymphocyte (LIM-foh-site) A type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes have a number of roles in the immune system, including the production of antibodies and other…
229. Lymphoid (LIM-foyd) Referring to lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Also refers to tissue in which lymphocytes develop.
230. macrophage A type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills microorganisms, removes dead cells, and stimulates the action of other immune system cells.
231. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) A group of genes that code for cell-surface histocompatibility antigens. These antigens are the primary reason why organ and tissue transplants from…
232. marker A diagnostic indication that disease may develop.
233. Mast cell A type of white blood cell.
234. Maternal gene product A product in the male organism of a gene from the X chromosome.
235. Meiosis A special form of cell division in which each daughter cell receives half the amount of DNA as the parent cell.
236. Melanocyte (mel-AN-o-site) A cell in the skin and eyes that produces and contains the pigment called melanin.
237. memory Data storage in the form of chips, or the actual chips used to hold data; storage is used to describe memory that exists on tapes or discs.
238. Memory cells A subset of antigen-specific T or B cells that "recall" prior exposure to an antigen and respond quickly without the need to be activated again by CD4…
239. Mesemchymal stem cell Also known as bone marrow stromal cells, mesenchymal stem cells are rare cells, mainly found in the bone marrow, that can give rise to a large number of…
240. Mesenchymal stem cells Cells from the immature embryonic connective tissue. A number of cell types come from mesenchymal stem cells, including chondrocytes, which produce…
241. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) Cells from the immature embryonic connective tissue. A number of cell types come from mesenchymal stem cells, including chondrocytes, which produce…
242. Mesoderm The middle germ layer that forms in the early animal embryo and gives rise to parts such as bone and connective tissue.
243. Metachromatic leukodystrophy A heritable metabolic disorder, usually of infancy, characterized by myelin loss and other abnormalities of the white matter of the nervous system…
244. Metaphase Stage of mitosis or meiosis (following prophase and preceding anaphase ) during which the chromosome s, or at least the kinetochores, lie in the central…
245. Microenvironment The molecules and compounds such as nutrients and growth factors in the fluid surrounding a cell in an organism or in the laboratory, which play an…
246. Microtubule Self-assembling components of the cytoskeleton. Microtubules are cylindrical protein polymers, interconnected by cross-bridging proteins, which…
247. Mitochondria (MY-toh-KON-dree-uh) Small structures in a cell that are found in the cytoplasm (fluid that surrounds the cell nucleus).
248. Mitochondrial DNA (Abbreviation: mtDNA). A circular DNA found in mitochondria. In mammals, mtDNA makes up less than 1% of the total DNA, but in plants the amount is…
249. Mitochondrial proteins Proteins that are part of the mitochondria.
250. Mitosis (my-TOH-sis) The process by which a single parent cell divides to make two new daughter cells.
251. Monoclonal From a single cell.
252. Monoclonal antibody (MoAb) An exceptionally pure and specific antibody derived from hybridoma cells. Because each of the clones is derived from a single B cell, all of the antibody…
253. Monocyte A type of white blood cell.
254. Mononucleocyte A cell containing a single nucleus. Generally refers to a white blood cell.
255. Morphology (mor-FAH-loh-jee) The science of the form and structure of organisms (plants, animals, and other forms of life).
256. Morula A solid mass of cells that resembles a mulberry and result from the cleavage of an ovum.
257. Mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells are used as feeder cells when culturing pluripotent stem cells.
258. Multipotent As applied to stem cells, the ability to differentiate into at least two, more differentiated descendant cells.
259. Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells (MAPC) Cells isolated from bone marrow that can be differentiated into cells with characteristics of cartilage, fat, and bone.
260. Multipotent stem cells Stem cells whose progeny are of multiple differentiated cell types, but all within a particular tissue, organ, or physiological system.
261. Mutagenicity The capacity of a chemical or physical agent to cause permanent genetic alterations. See also: somatic cell genetic mutation
262. Mycoplasma A general category of microorganisms that shares some characteristics of bacteria.
263. Myelin (MY-eh-lin) The fatty substance that covers and protects nerves.
264. Myelin basic protein (MPB) A structural protein within the myelin sheath surrounding neurons.
265. Myelin sheath (my' uh lin) the tubular structure that surrounds the nerve fibers.
266. Myeloid (MY-eh-loyd) Having to do with or resembling the bone marrow. May also refer to certain types of hematopoietic (blood-forming) cells found in the bone…
267. Myeloid stem cells Precursors to the other lines of blood cells: erythrocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, and platelets.
268. Myocyte A muscular tissue cell.
269. MyoD1 A group of four basic myogenic regulatory factors (helix-loop-helix transcription) and a newly discovered factor called muscle enhancer factor-2 which…
270. Myosin A protein in muscle fibers.
271. Myosin light chain There are four light chain subunits containing complex molecules that form contractile units in skeletal muscle.
272. Natural killer cell A type of white blood cell that contains granules with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or microbial cells.
273. Nestin An intermediate filament protein found in cells such as neural and pancreatic precursors.
274. Neural crest A band of cells that extend lengthwise along the neural tube of an embryo and give rise to cells that form the cranial, spinal, and autonomic ganglia, as…
275. Neural plate A thickened band of ectoderm along the dorsal surface of an embryo. The nervous system develops from this tissue.
276. Neural stem cell A type of stem cell that resides in the brain, which can make new nerve cells (called neurons) and other cells that support nerve cells (called glia).
277. Neural stem cell (NSC) A stem cell found in adult neural tissue that can give rise to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes.
278. Neural tube The embryological forerunner of the central nervous system.
279. Neuroectoderm The central region of the early embryonic ectoderm, which later forms the brain and spinal cord, as well as evolving into nerve cells of the peripheral…
280. Neuroepithelium A specialized epithelial structure that forms the termination of a nerve of a special sense, i.e.
281. Neurofilament (NF) A type of intermediate filament found in nerve cells.
282. Neuron (NOOR-on) A type of cell that receives and sends messages from the body to the brain and back to the body.
283. Neuronal/neural stem cells cells capable of becoming tissues of the brain and central nervous system.
284. Neurons Nerve cells, the structural and functional unit of the nervous system. A neuron consists of a cell body and its processes-an axon and one or more…
285. Neurosphere A primitive neural tissue that arises when embryonic stem cells are grown in certain culture conditions.
286. neutropenia (noo-troh-PEE-nee-uh) An abnormal decrease in the number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell.
287. NMDA receptor (N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor). A neurotransmitter receptor for excitatory synapses.
288. Nodal A knob-like protrusion.
289. node Any device connected to network. PCs, servers, and printers are all nodes on the network.
290. Non-Myeloablative ("Mini") Stem Cell Transplant A method used to prime a patient for a stem cell transplant by employing lower doses of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to damage the leukemia-producing…
291. Notochord Forms the axial skeleton in embryos of all chordates. In vertebrates, it is replaced partially or completely by vertebrae.
292. Nucleus (NOO-klee-us) In biology, the structure in a cell that contains the chromosomes.
293. Olfactory bulb A part of the brain involved in detecting and discriminating among different smells.
294. Oligodendrocyte (AH-lih-goh-DEN-droh-site) A cell that forms the myelin sheath (a layer that covers and protects nerve cells) in the brain and spinal cord.
295. Oligopotent progenitor cells Progenitor cells that can produce more than one type of mature cell. An example is the myeloid progenitor cell which can give rise to mature blood cells…
296. Oocyte The egg mother cell; it undergoes two meiotic divisions (oogenesis ) to form the egg cell.
297. Oocytes Egg cells.
298. Osteocalcin (OC) A cytokine produced by osteoblasts that promotes bone formation.
299. Osteoclast A giant multi-nuclear cell formed in the bone marrow of growing bones.
300. Osteocyte A cell from the bone tissue.