| poker spine | Stiff spine resulting from widespread joint immobility or overwhelming muscle spasm as might be evoked by an osteomyelitis of a vertebra or a rheumatoid spondylitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| pokeweed | <botany> See Poke, the plant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| pokeweed mitogen | <protein> Any of the lectins derived from the pokeweed, Phytolacca americana, all of which will stimulate T-cells. Binds _ D acetylglucosamine. (18 Nov 1997) |
| pokeweed mitogens | Proteins isolated from the roots of the pokeweed, phytolacca americana, that agglutinate some erythrocytes, stimulate mitosis and antibody synthesis in lymphocytes, and induce activation of plasma cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| pol gene | <molecular biology> Genes coding for DNA polymerases of which there are three in E. Coli, polA, polB and polC coding for polymerases I, II and III respectively. Pol genes in oncogenic retroviruses code for reverse transcriptase. (18 Nov 1997) |
| poland syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome which is characterised by symbrachydactyly and aplasia of the sternal head of pectoralis major. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Poland's syndrome | <syndrome> An anomaly consisting of absence of the pectoralis major and minor muscles, ipsilateral breast hypoplasia, and absence of two to four rib segments. (05 Mar 2000) |
| polar | Describes a feature or phenomenon occuring at the end (pole) of an object (such as a planet) or organism (such as an amoeba). <chemistry> Describes a molecular that has a permanent electric dipole. See: polar group. Compare: nonpolar, nonpolar groups. (12 Mar 1998) |
| polar amino acid | An alpha-amino acid in which the functional group attached to the alpha-carbon (i.e., R in RCH(NH2)COOH) has hydrophilic properties; e.g., serine, cysteine, homocysteine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| polar anaemia | A form of anaemia sometimes observed in natives of temperate climates when they migrate to the Arctic or Antarctic regions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| polar body | <cell biology> In animals each meiotic division of the oocyte leads to the formation of one large cell (the egg) and a small polar body as the other cell. Polar body formation is a consequence of the very eccentric position of the nucleus and the spindle. (18 Nov 1997) |
| polar cataract | A capsular cataract limited to an area of the anterior or posterior pole of the lens. (05 Mar 2000) |
| polar cell | <cell biology> In animals each meiotic division of the oocyte leads to the formation of one large cell (the egg) and a small polar body as the other cell. Polar body formation is a consequence of the very eccentric position of the nucleus and the spindle. (18 Nov 1997) |
| polar compound | A compound in which the electric charge is not symmetrically distributed, so that there is a separation of charge or partial charge and formation of definite positive and negative poles; e.g., H2O. See also inorganic compound. (05 Mar 2000) |
| polar fibres | Those fibres of the mitotic spindle extending from the two poles of the spindle toward the equator. Compare: astral fibres, kinetochore fibres. (05 Mar 2000) |