Glossary
BioScience.com.pk try the best to avoid the use of medical terms that could make it more difficult to understand the information on this website. Still, there are a number of terms that can't be avoided and that are useful to know because they are so often used by the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with whom you might speak. The list below includes the terms used on BioScience.com.pk for which we have provided definitions.
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Adrenal Gland | Also known as: Suprarenal gland
|
Aerobic | Living or occurring in an oxygen-rich environment |
Afibrinogenemia | The absence of fibrinogen production |
Alkalosis | A condition in which a there is a shift in the acid-base balance of the body to have more base than normal, often causing the pH of the blood and body tissues to rise above the healthy range (7.35-7.45). It may have respiratory causes such as hyperventilation and pneumonia or metabolic causes such as prolonged vomiting and severe dehydration. |
Allele | Any one of the possible alternative forms in which a specific gene can occur |
Allergen | Substance (e.g., ragweed pollen) that can cause an allergy |
Alopecia | |
Ambiguous genitalia | Sex organs (genitals) that are not distinctly male or female in appearance. It is a condition present at birth (congenital) that results from a disruption in the formation of sex organs during fetal development. |
Amenorrhea | |
Amino Acid | |
Amniotic fluid | Fluid surrounding and supporting a fetus |
Amplification | 1) In molecular diagnostics, a process by which multiple copies of genetic material (RNA, DNA) are generated so as to produce adequate levels of the target to be detected or quantitated |
Anaerobic | Living or occurring in an oxygen-free environment |
Analyte | Also known as: Test
|
Anaphylaxis | Severe allergic reaction that can cause intensely itchy welts (hives) on the skin, low blood pressure, and difficulty breathing. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening so those who have been affected by it may be advised to carry an emergency injection of epinephrine. |