| spindle | See: mitosis, spindle fibre. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| spindle cataract | A cataract in which the opacity is fusiform, extending from one pole to the other. Synonym: fusiform cataract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle cell | A fusiform cell, such as those in the deeper layers of the cerebral cortex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle cell carcinoma | <tumour> A carcinoma composed of elongated cells, frequently a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma which may be difficult to distinguish from a sarcoma. Synonym: sarcomatoid carcinoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle cell lipoma | <tumour> A microscopically distinctive form of lipoma in which adipose tissue is infiltrated by fibroblasts and collagen; usually found in the shoulder or neck of elderly men. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle cell nevus | A benign, slightly pigmented or red superficial small skin tumour composed of spindle-shaped, epithelioid, and multinucleated cells that may appear atypical; most common in children, but also appearing in adults. Synonym: benign juvenile melanoma, epithelioid cell nevus, spindle cell nevus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle cell sarcoma | <tumour> A malignant neoplasm, believed to be of mesenchymal origin, composed of elongated, spindle-shaped cells. Synonym: fascicular sarcoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle fibre | <cell biology> Microtubules of the spindle that interdigitate at the equatorial plane with microtubules of the opposite polarity derived from the opposite pole microtubule organising centre. Usually distinguished from kinetochore fibres that are microtubules that link the poles with the kinetochore, although these could be included in a broader use of the term. (18 Nov 1997) |
| spindle-celled layer | Layer 6 of the cortex cerebri. Synonym: multiform layer, polymorphous layer, spindle-celled layer. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindle-shaped | 1. Having the shape of a spindle. 2. <botany> Thickest in the middle, and tapering to both ends; fusiform; applied chiefly to roots. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spindle-shaped muscle | <anatomy> One that has a fleshy belly, tapering at either extremity. Synonym: musculus fusiformis, spindle-shaped muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spindletail | <zoology> The pintail duck. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spindleworm | <zoology> The larva of a noctuid mmoth (Achatodes zeae) which feeds inside the stalks of corn (maize), sometimes causing much damage. It is smooth, with a black head and tail and a row of black dots across each segment. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| aortic spindle | A fusiform dilation of the aorta immediately beyond the isthmus. Synonym: His' spindle. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| central spindle | A central group of microtubules (continuous fibres) that course uninterrupted, between the asters, in contrast to the microtubules attached to the individual chromosomes (s. Fibres). (05 Mar 2000) |
| meiotic spindle | The meiotic equivalent of the mitotic spindle. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cleavage spindle | The spindle formed during the cleavage of a zygote or its blastomeres. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mitotic spindle | See: spindle and mitosis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| mitotic spindle apparatus | An organelle consisting of three components: 1) the astral microtubules, which form around each centrosome and extend to the periphery; 2) the polar microtubules which extend from one spindle pole to the equator; and 3) the kinetochore microtubules, which connect the centromeres of the various chromosomes to either centrosome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| muscle spindle | A specialised muscle fibre found in tetrapod vertebrates. A bundle of muscle fibres is innervated by sensory neurons. Stretching the muscle causes the neurons to fire, the muscle spindle thus functions as a stretch receptor. (18 Nov 1997) |
| His' spindle | A fusiform dilation of the aorta immediately beyond the isthmus. Synonym: His' spindle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sleep spindle | The electroencephalographic record of 14-per-second bursts of wave frequency seen on EEG examination. (05 Mar 2000) |
| neuromuscular spindle | A fusiform end organ in skeletal muscle in which afferent and a few efferent nerve fibres terminate; it contains from 3 to 10 striated muscle fibres (intrafusal fibres) that are much smaller than the ordinary muscle fibres, are separated from them by a capsule that encloses the organ, and are innervated by the thin axon of a gamma motoneuron (gamma motor fibre); the sensory endings that occur on the intrafusal fibres are either annulospiral or flower spray endings; this sensory end organ is particularly sensitive to passive stretch of the muscle in which it is enclosed. Synonym: Kuhne's spindle, muscle spindle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| neurotendinous spindle | <cell biology, physiology> A proprioceptive sensory nerve ending embedded among the fibres of a tendon, often near the musculotendinous junction; it is compressed and activated by any increase of the tendon's tension, caused either by active contraction or passive stretch of the corresponding muscle. Synonym: neurotendinous organ, neurotendinous spindle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nevus, epithelioid and spindle cell | A benign compound nevus occurring most often in children before puberty, composed of spindle and epithelioid cells located mainly in the dermis, sometimes in association with large atypical cells and multinucleate cells, and having a close histopathological resemblance to malignant melanoma. The tumour presents as a smooth to slightly scaly, round to oval, raised, firm papule or nodule, ranging in colour from pink-tan to purplish red, often with surface telangiectasia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| nevus, spindle cell | A form of pigmented nevus showing intense melanocytic activity around the dermo-epidermal junction. Large numbers of spindle-shaped melanocytes proliferate downward toward the dermis and usually a large amount of pigment is present. It was first described in 1976 and the bulk of patients reported have been young females with the lesions presenting on the thighs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| nuclear spindle | See: spindle and mitosis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Krukenberg's spindle | A vertical fusiform area of melanin pigmentation on the posterior surface of the central cornea. (05 Mar 2000) |