Abdominal Cavity
The part of the body between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the thighs, containing most of the digestive and urinary systems…
Abortion
Termination of pregnancy, can occur because of natural causes (called a miscarriage) or be a medical intervention.
Abrasive
An agent that rubs off an external layer, such as dental plaque i.e. pumice.
Acid-fast Stain
A stain that differentiates cells that have waxy mycolic acids in their gram-positive cell walls
Acidic Dye
a chromophore with a negative charge that attaches to positively charged structures
Acne
A skin disease in which hair follicles or pores become clogged, leading to the formation of comedones and infected lesions
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (aids)
Disease caused by HIV, characterized by opportunistic infections and rare cancers
Actin
A protein that polymerizes to form microfilaments
Activation Energy
Energy needed to form or break chemical bonds and convert a reactant or reactants to a product or products
Activator
Protein that increases the transcription of a gene in response to an external stimulus.
Active Carrier
An infected individual who can transmit the pathogen to others regardless of whether symptoms are currently present
Active Immunity
Stimulation of one’s own adaptive immune responses.
Acute Glomerulonephritis
Inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidney, probably resulting from deposition of immune complexes and an autoimmune response caused by self-antigen mimicry by a pathogen.
Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis
A severe form of gingivitis, also called trench mouth.
Acute Otitis Media
Inflammatory disease of the middle ear resulting from a microbial infection.
Addison Disease
autoimmune disease affecting adrenal gland function
Adenine
purine nitrogenous base found in nucleotides
Adenosine Diphosphate (adp)
nucleotide derivative and relative of ATP containing only one high-energy phosphate bond
Adenosine Monophosphate (amp)
adenine molecule bonded to a ribose molecule and to a single phosphate group, having no high-energy phosphate bonds
Adenosine Triphosphate (atp)
energy currency of the cell; a nucleotide derivative that safely stores chemical energy in its two high-energy phosphate bonds