| chromaffin body | A small, roundish body containing chromaffin cells; a number of such bodies may be found retroperitoneally near the aorta and in organs such as the kidney, liver, heart, and gonads. Synonym: chromaffin body. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| paraganglia, chromaffin | Small bodies containing chromaffin cells occurring outside of the adrenal medulla, most commonly near the sympathetic ganglia and in organs such as the kidney, liver, heart and gonads. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| chromaffin | Giving a brownish yellow reaction with chromic salts; denoting certain cells in the medulla of the adrenal glands and in paraganglia. Synonym: chromaphil, chromatophil, chromophil, chromophile, pheochrome. Origin: chrom-+ L. Affinis, affinity (05 Mar 2000) |
| chromaffin cell | Family of related acidic proteins (400-600 residues) found in many endocrine cell secretory vesicles. Secretogranin 1 = chromogranin B, secretogranin 2 = chromogranin C. (18 Nov 1997) |
| chromaffin cells | Cells that store epinephrine secretory vesicles. During times of stress, the nervous system signals the vesicles to secrete their hormonal content. Their name derives from their ability to stain a brownish colour with chromic salts. Characteristically, they are located in the adrenal medulla and paraganglia (paraganglia, chromaffin) of the sympathetic nervous system. (12 Dec 1998) |
| chromaffin granules | Granules in the adrenal glands and various other organs, which are concerned with the synthesis, storage, metabolism, and secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine. (12 Dec 1998) |
| chromaffin reaction | Production of a yellow-brown to brown colouration in normal and abnormal cells containing epinephrine and norepinephrine, when fresh tissue slices are placed in a dichromate-chromate mixture overnight; useful for detection of pheochromocytoma (adrenal medulla) and other tumours which produce catecholamines. (05 Mar 2000) |
| chromaffin system | The cells of the body which stain with chromium salts. They occur along the sympathetic nerves, in the adrenal gland, and in various other organs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| chromaffin tissue | Tissue in medulla of adrenal gland containing two populations of cells, one producing adrenaline, the other noradrenaline. The catecholamine is associated with carrier proteins (chromogranins) in membrane vesicles (chromaffin granules). (18 Nov 1997) |
| chromaffin tumour | <tumour> A neoplasm composed of chromaffin cells occurring in the medullae of adrenal glands, the organs of Zuckerkandl, or the paraganglia of the thoracolumbar sympathetic chain; some chromaffinoma's secrete catecholamines. See: pheochromocytoma. Synonym: chromaffin tumour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acetone body | <biochemistry> Any of the three compounds created by acetyl coenzyme A (acetoacetate, hydroxybutyrate, and acetone) which are water-soluble cellular fuels normally exported by the liver. They can build up in the blood and body tissues because of starvation, untreated diabetes mellitus, or other disorders that interfere with carbohydrate metabolism. The body rids itself of ketones mainly through urine, but it rids itself of acetone through the lungs, which gives the breath a characteristic fruity odour. If ketones build up in the body long enough, they cause serious illness and coma (see ketoacidosis.) (09 Oct 1997) |
| acute inclusion body encephalitis | The most common acute encephalitis, caused by HSV-1; affects persons of any age; preferentially involves the inferomedial portions of the temporal lobe and the orbital portions of the frontal lobes; pathologically, severe haemorrhagic necrosis is present along with, in the acute stages, intranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies in the neurons and glial cells. Synonym: acute inclusion body encephalitis, herpes encephalitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adrenal body | See adrenal gland. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alveolar body | That portion of bone in either the maxilla or the mandible which surrounds and supports the teeth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| amygdaloid body | Almond-shaped group of basal nuclei anterior to the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle of the brain, within the temporal lobe. The amygdala is part of the limbic system. (12 Dec 1998) |
| amylogenic body | A plant plastid involved in the synthesis and storage of starch. Found in many cell types, but particularly storage tissues. Characteristically has starch grains in the plastid stroma. (18 Nov 1997) |