| maturation-promoting factor | <enzyme> A protein kinase that drives both the mitotic and meiotic cycles in all eukaryotic organisms. In meiosis it induces immature oocytes to undergo meiotic maturation. In mitosis it has a role in the G2/M phase transition. Once activated by cyclins, maturation-promoting factor directly phosphorylates some of the proteins involved in nuclear envelope breakdown, chromosome condensation, spindle assembly, and the degradation of cyclins. The catalytic subunit of maturation-promoting factor is protein p34cdc2. Acronym: MPF (12 Dec 1998) |
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| reflection factor | <microscopy> The ratio of reflected light from a surface to the incident light. This is sometimes called the coefficient of reflection. Unless especially stated it takes into account both specular and diffuse reflection. (05 Aug 1998) |
| cattell personality factor questionnaire | Self report questionnaire which yields 16 scores on personality traits, such as reserved vs. Outgoing, humble vs. Assertive, etc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| glass factor | <chemical> Stable blood coagulation factor activated by contact with the subendothelial surface of an injured vessel. Along with prekallikrein, it serves as the contact factor that initiates the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. Kallikrein activates factor xii to xiia. Deficiency of factor xii, also called the hageman trait, leads to increased incidence of thromboembolic disease. Chemical name: Blood-coagulation factor XII (12 Dec 1998) |
| relaxation factor | Substance presumably involved in the return of muscle fibrils to the resting state after nervous stimulation ceases, postulated to act by withdrawing Calcium from myosin-ATPase sites. (05 Mar 2000) |
| release factor | A component of the specialised transport system involved in the transport of cobalamin (vitamin B12) across the wall of the intestine. Dissociates the complex between cobalamin and the extracellular cobalamin binding glycoprotein known as intrinsic factor. (18 Nov 1997) |
| vitamin B12 with intrinsic factor concentrate | A combination of vitamin B12 with suitable preparations of the mucosa of the stomach or intestine of domestic animals used for food by humans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| resistance factor | <molecular biology> A self-replicating fragment of nucleic acid that confers drug resistance and is transmitted from one bacterium to another via conjugation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| resistance-inducing factor | An agent from normal chick embryos that interferes with multiplication of the avian leukosis-sarcoma virus, and is seemingly an avirulent leukosis virus antigenically related to the avian leukosis-sarcoma virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| resistance-transfer factor | The transfer gene of the resistance plasmid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pellagra-preventing factor | A precursor of NAD, that is a product of the oxidation of nicotine. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Von Willebrand factor | Plasma factor involved in platelet adhesion through an interaction with Factor VIII. See: Von Willebrand disease. (18 Nov 1997) |
| von Willebrand factor-degrading protease | <enzyme> A large protease from normal human plasma that degrades vwf at the 842tyr-843met peptide bond Registry number: EC 3.4.24.- Synonym: vwf-cleaving protease (26 Jun 1999) |
| glycotropic factor | A principle in extracts of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis that raises the blood sugar and antagonises the action of insulin; purified pituitary growth hormone produces an identical effect. Synonym: insulin-antagonizing factor. (05 Mar 2000) |
| melanotropin-releasing factor | A hexapeptide similar to oxytocin; it stimulates the release of melanotropin. Synonym: melanotropin-releasing factor, melanotropin-releasing hormone. Origin: melanotropin + L. Libero, to free, + -in (05 Mar 2000) |