|
 |
||
 |
| This glossary contains: 19186 medical terms |
 |
Differentiation
|
|
Differentiation The process whereby an unspecialized early embryonic cell or stem cell acquires the features of a specialized cell, such as a heart, liver, or muscle cell.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Embryonic
Undeveloped, related to the embryo.
Cell
Fundamental structural unit of all life. The cell consists primarily of an outer plasma membrane, which separates it from the environment; the genetic material (DNA), which encodes heritable information for the maintainance of life; and the cytoplasm, a heterogeneous assemblage of ions, molecules, and fluid.
Heart
The hollow, muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the circulatory system.
Liver
The largest organ in the body. The liver carries out many important functions, such as making bile, changing food into energy, and cleaning alcohol and poisons from the blood.
Muscle
Tissue made up of bundles of long, slender cells that contract when stimulated.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Differential diagnosis
The determination of which two or more diseases with similar symptoms is the one from which a patient is suffering, based on an analysis of the clinical data.
Differential white cell count
The proportions of the different types of white cells in the blood, usually split into the different types of granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. The differential white cell count was originally done by visual inspection of the blood and is now often machine-generated. Normal values are: 24-62% neutrophils, 19-53% lymphocytes, 2-12% monocytes, 0-7% eosinophils, and 0-2% basophils.
Differentiate
The process cells undergo as they mature into normal cells. Differentiated cells have distinctive characteristics, perform specific functions, and are less likely to divide. See dedifferentiate, undifferentiated.
Differentiated
Having developed into a specialized cell or tissue type .
Differentiated cancer
A cancer in which the cells are mature and look like cells in the tissue from it arose. Differentiated cancers tend to be decidedly less aggressive than undifferentiated cancers composed of immature cells.
Differentiation antigen
A cell surface antigenic determinant found only on cells of a certain lineage and at a particular developmental stage; used as an immunologic marker.
Differentiation therapy
An approach to the treatment of advanced or aggressive malignancies in which the malignant cells are treated so that they can resume the process of maturation and differentiation into mature cells.
Differin
Differin is a prescription or over-the-counter drug which is (or once was) approved in the United States and possibly in other countries. Active ingredient(s): adapalene.
Diffraction
The scattering of rays of light by collision with particles of matter as they pass through a medium such as air or water, or pass by a edge or narrow aperture. Plays a role when the pupil is small.
Diffuse
Not definitely localized or limited; spread widely through a tissue or substance.
Diffuse degeneration of gray matter with cirrhosis
A progressive disease of the nervous system characterized by spasticity (tightness), myoclonus and dementia and by liver problems with jaundice and cirrhosis.
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis
Abbreviated as DISH. A form of degenerative arthritis characteristically associated with flowing calcification along the sides of the vertebrae of the spine and commonly associated with inflammation (tendinitis) and calcification of the tendons at their attachments points to bone. Because areas of the spine and tendons can become inflamed, antiinflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such ibuprofen can be helpful in both relieving pain and inflammation.
Diffuse mastocytosis
A form of mastocytosis in which the entire skin is thickened and leathery with generalized reddening and intense pruritus (itching) due to widespread infiltration of the skin with mast cells.
Diffuse toxic goiter
Graves disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism (overactivity of the thyroid gland), with generalized diffuse overactivity ("toxicity") of the entire thyroid gland which becomes enlarged into a goiter.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Dyspnea
Shortness of breath.
Dysrhythmia
An abnormal heart rhythm.
Donor insemination
Or Artificial insemination (AI. Deposition of sperm from a male donor inside a female reproductive tract for the purpose of achieving pregnancy.
Differentiated
Having developed into a specialized cell or tissue type .
Differentiation
Diploid
Refers to a cell having two sets of chromosomes (in humans, 46 chromosomes). In contrast, a haploid cell, such as a gamete, has only one set of chromosomes (23 in humans).
DNA methylation
A biochemical process involving the addition of chemical tags called methyl groups (-CH3) to DNA. Methylation can be a signal for a gene or a section of a chromosome to turn off gene expression and become inactive or "silent".
Deficiency diseases
Any disorder caused by a lack of essential nutrients.
Delivery room
A room in a hospital equipped for childbirth.
DES
A synthetic form of estrogen once given to women to prevent miscarriage. Discovered in the late 1960s to have serious side effects, including cancer, infertility, and miscarriage.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Embryonic
Undeveloped, related to the embryo.
Cell
Fundamental structural unit of all life. The cell consists primarily of an outer plasma membrane, which separates it from the environment; the genetic material (DNA), which encodes heritable information for the maintainance of life; and the cytoplasm, a heterogeneous assemblage of ions, molecules, and fluid.
Heart
The hollow, muscular organ responsible for pumping blood through the circulatory system.
Liver
The largest organ in the body. The liver carries out many important functions, such as making bile, changing food into energy, and cleaning alcohol and poisons from the blood.
Muscle
Tissue made up of bundles of long, slender cells that contract when stimulated.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Differential diagnosis
The determination of which two or more diseases with similar symptoms is the one from which a patient is suffering, based on an analysis of the clinical data.
Differential white cell count
The proportions of the different types of white cells in the blood, usually split into the different types of granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. The differential white cell count was originally done by visual inspection of the blood and is now often machine-generated. Normal values are: 24-62% neutrophils, 19-53% lymphocytes, 2-12% monocytes, 0-7% eosinophils, and 0-2% basophils.
Differentiate
The process cells undergo as they mature into normal cells. Differentiated cells have distinctive characteristics, perform specific functions, and are less likely to divide. See dedifferentiate, undifferentiated.
Differentiated
Having developed into a specialized cell or tissue type .
Differentiated cancer
A cancer in which the cells are mature and look like cells in the tissue from it arose. Differentiated cancers tend to be decidedly less aggressive than undifferentiated cancers composed of immature cells.
Differentiation antigen
A cell surface antigenic determinant found only on cells of a certain lineage and at a particular developmental stage; used as an immunologic marker.
Differentiation therapy
An approach to the treatment of advanced or aggressive malignancies in which the malignant cells are treated so that they can resume the process of maturation and differentiation into mature cells.
Differin
Differin is a prescription or over-the-counter drug which is (or once was) approved in the United States and possibly in other countries. Active ingredient(s): adapalene.
Diffraction
The scattering of rays of light by collision with particles of matter as they pass through a medium such as air or water, or pass by a edge or narrow aperture. Plays a role when the pupil is small.
Diffuse
Not definitely localized or limited; spread widely through a tissue or substance.
Diffuse degeneration of gray matter with cirrhosis
A progressive disease of the nervous system characterized by spasticity (tightness), myoclonus and dementia and by liver problems with jaundice and cirrhosis.
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis
Abbreviated as DISH. A form of degenerative arthritis characteristically associated with flowing calcification along the sides of the vertebrae of the spine and commonly associated with inflammation (tendinitis) and calcification of the tendons at their attachments points to bone. Because areas of the spine and tendons can become inflamed, antiinflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such ibuprofen can be helpful in both relieving pain and inflammation.
Diffuse mastocytosis
A form of mastocytosis in which the entire skin is thickened and leathery with generalized reddening and intense pruritus (itching) due to widespread infiltration of the skin with mast cells.
Diffuse toxic goiter
Graves disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism (overactivity of the thyroid gland), with generalized diffuse overactivity ("toxicity") of the entire thyroid gland which becomes enlarged into a goiter.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Dyspnea
Shortness of breath.
Dysrhythmia
An abnormal heart rhythm.
Donor insemination
Or Artificial insemination (AI. Deposition of sperm from a male donor inside a female reproductive tract for the purpose of achieving pregnancy.
Differentiated
Having developed into a specialized cell or tissue type .
Differentiation
Diploid
Refers to a cell having two sets of chromosomes (in humans, 46 chromosomes). In contrast, a haploid cell, such as a gamete, has only one set of chromosomes (23 in humans).
DNA methylation
A biochemical process involving the addition of chemical tags called methyl groups (-CH3) to DNA. Methylation can be a signal for a gene or a section of a chromosome to turn off gene expression and become inactive or "silent".
Deficiency diseases
Any disorder caused by a lack of essential nutrients.
Delivery room
A room in a hospital equipped for childbirth.
DES
A synthetic form of estrogen once given to women to prevent miscarriage. Discovered in the late 1960s to have serious side effects, including cancer, infertility, and miscarriage.
We thank you for using the Medical Glossary to search for Differentiation. If you have a better definition for Differentiation than the one presented here, please let us know by making use of the suggest a term option. This definition of Differentiation may be disputed by other professionals. Our attempt is to provide easy definitions on Differentiation and any other medical topic for the public at large.
This dictionary contains 19186 terms.
|
|