| beta cell | 1. <pathology> Cells of the pancreas within discrete endocrine islands (Islets of Langerhans) embedded in the major exocrine tissue of vertebrate pancreas. The B or beta cells (originally distinguished by differential staining from A, C and D), are responsible for synthesis and secretion of insulin, a hormone that controls the level of glucosein the blood. 2. Also refers to the beta cells of the anterior lobe of hypophysis. These are a population of functionally diverse cell's that contain basophilic granules and secrete hormones such as ACTH, lipotropin, thyrotropin, and the gonadotropins. Synonym: basophil cell of anterior lobe of hypophysis. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| beta-cell src-homology tyrosine kinase | <enzyme> A murine frk (fyn-related kinase) homolog; genbank l36132; do not confuse with brain-specific kinase bsk Registry number: EC 2.7.1.- Synonym: beta-cell sh tk, bsk protein, sh tk, bsk gene product, sh tk (26 Jun 1999) |
| betz cell | Large pyramidal cells in the motor cortex of the precentral gyrus of the motor cortex. (27 Sep 1997) |
| BHK cell | <cell culture> A quasi diploid established line of Syrian hamster cells, descended from a clone (Clone 13) isolated by Stoker and McPherson from an unusually rapidly growing primary culture of new born hamster kidney tissue. Usually described as fibroblastic, although smooth muscle like in that they express the muscle intermediate filament protein desmin. Widely used as a viral host, in studies of oncogenic transformation and of cell physiology. (18 Nov 1997) |
| bipolar cell | <cell biology, physiology> A class of retinal interneurons, named after their morphology, that receive input from the photoreceptors and send it to the ganglion cells. Bipolar cells are nonspiking, their response to light is evenly graded and shows lateral inhibition. (19 Jan 1998) |
| blast cell | <haematology> A immature cell of a proliferative compartment in a cell lineage that normally represent up to 5% of the cells in the bone marrow. An over-production of blasts in the marrow is characteristic of leukaemia when the blast cells often spill out into the blood stream. (17 Mar 1998) |
| blood cell | <haematology> There are three main types of cell in the blood stream. The red cell, which carries oxygen, the white cell, which fights infections and the platelet, which helps prevent bleeding. The correct balance between each cell type must be maintained for the body to remain healthy. (13 Nov 1997) |
| blood cell count | A count of the number of leukocytes and erythrocytes per unit volume in a sample of venous blood. A complete blood count (cbc) also includes measurement of the haemoglobin, haematocrit, and erythrocyte indices. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bone cell | <pathology> Osteoblast that is embedded in bony tissue and which is relatively inactive. (18 Nov 1997) |
| bottle cell | <embryology> The first cells to migrate inwards at the blastopore during amphibian gastrulation. The neck of the bottle is at the outer surface of the embryo. (18 Nov 1997) |
| bristle cell | Hair cell of the inner ear. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bronchiolar exocrine cell | A rounded, club-shaped, nonciliated cell protruding between ciliated cell's in bronchiolar epithelium; believed to be secretory in function. Synonym: bronchiolar exocrine cell. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brood cell | A cell which, by division, gives rise to two or more daughter cell's. Synonym: brood cell, metrocyte, parent cell. (05 Mar 2000) |
| brown fat cell | <pathology> Brown fat is specialised for heat production and the adipocytes have many mitochondria in which an inner membrane protein can act as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation allowing rapid thermogenesis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| burr cell | Triangular helmet shaped cells found in blood, usually indicative of disorders of small blood vessels. (18 Nov 1997) |