| IRF | idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis; impulse response function; interferon regulatory factor; intern... |
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| IRS | immunoreactive secretion; infrared spectrophotometry; insulin receptor species; insulin receptor sub... |
| ISH | icteric serum hepatitis; in situ hybridization; internal self helper; International Society of Hemat... |
| ITA | inferior temporal artery; internal thoracic artery; International Tuberculosis Association |
| ITT | insulin tolerance test; internal tibial torsion |
| Brucke's muscle | <anatomy> The part of the ciliary muscle formed by the meridional fibres. Synonym: Crampton's muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| bulbocavernosus muscle | <anatomy> In the male: origin, the perineal membrane fascia on the dorsum of the bulb of the penis; insertion, central tendon of the perineum and the median raphe on the free surface of the bulb; action, constricts bulbous urethra when attempting to expel last drops following urination, or spasmodically with ejaculation to expel semen. In the female: origin, the dorsum of the clitoris, the corpus cavernosum, and the perineal membrane; insertion, central tendon of the perineum; action, acts as a weak sphincter of the vagina; when developed, is a part of "cross-member musculature" of pelvic floor which resists prolapse of pelvic viscera. Nerve supply, pudendal (deep perineal branch). Synonym: musculus bulbospongiosus, musculus bulbocavernosus, musculus ejaculator seminis, musculus sphincter vaginae, sphincter vaginae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bursa of extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle | <anatomy> The bursa between the tendon of the extensor carpi radialis brevis and the base of the third metacarpal. Synonym: bursa musculi extensoris carpi radialis brevis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bursa of tensor veli palatini muscle | <anatomy> A small bursa located where the tendon of the tensor passes around the pterygoid hamulus. Synonym: bursa musculi tensoris veli palatini. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bursa of the piriformis muscle | <anatomy> A small bursa located between the tendons of the piriformis and superior gemellus and the femur. Synonym: bursa musculi piriformis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac muscle | <anatomy> Tissue specialised for contraction. See twitch muscle, catch muscle: Cardiac muscle (heart muscle) is a striated but involuntary muscle responsible for the pumping activity of the vertebrate heart. The individual muscle cells are joined through a junctional complex known as the intercalated disc and are not fused together into multinucleate structures as they are in skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is a rather non-specific term usually applied to the striated muscle of vertebrates that is under voluntary control. The muscle fibres are syncytial and contain myofibrils, tandem arrays of sarcomeres. Smooth muscle is muscle tissue in vertebrates made up from long tapering cells that may be anything from 20-500m long. Smooth muscle is generally involuntary and differs from striated muscle in the much higher actin/myosin ratio, the absence of conspicuous sarcomeres and the ability to contract to a much smaller fraction of its resting length. Smooth muscle cells are found particularly in blood vessel walls, surrounding the intestine (especially the gizzard in birds) and in the uterus. The contractile system and its control resemble those of motile tissue cells (for example fibroblasts, leucocytes) and antibodies against smooth muscle myosin will cross react with myosin from tissue cells, whereas antibodies against skeletal muscle myosin will not. See: dense bodies. (18 Nov 1997) |
| cardiac muscle tissue | See: cardiac muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cardiac muscle wrap | An operation that uses stimulated latissimus dorsi muscle (skeletal muscle ventricle) to assist cardiac function. The latissimus dorsi muscle is mobilised from the chest wall and moved into the thorax through the bed of the resected 2nd or 3rd rib. The muscle is then wrapped around the left and right ventricles and stimulated to contract during cardiac systole by means of an implanted burst-stimulator. (12 Dec 1998) |
| radial flexor muscle of wrist | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, common flexor origin of the medial condyle of humerus; insertion, anterior surface of the base of the second and most often sending a slip to that of the third metacarpal bone; action, flexes and abducts wrist radialward; nerve supply, median; its tendon travels in its own canal roofed by a layer of the transverse carpal ligament. Synonym: musculus flexor carpi radialis, radial flexor muscle of wrist. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Valsalva's muscle | <anatomy> A band of vertical muscular fibres on the outer surface of the tragus of the ear. Synonym: musculus tragicus, muscle of tragus, Valsalva's muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| palatoglossus muscle | <anatomy> Forms anterior pillar of tonsillar fossa; origin, oral surface of soft palate; insertion, side of tongue; action, raises back of tongue and narrows fauces; nerve supply, pharyngeal plexus (cranial root of accessory nerve). Synonym: musculus palatoglossus, glossopalatinus, musculus glossopalatinus, palatoglossus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| palatopharyngeal muscle | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, soft palate; forms the posterior pillar of the fauces or tonsillar fossa; insertion, posterior border of thyroid cartilage and aponeurosis of pharynx; action, narrows fauces, depresses soft palate, elevates pharynx and larynx; nerve supply, pharyngeal plexus (cranial root of accessory nerve). Synonym: musculus palatopharyngeus, musculus pharyngopalatinus, palatopharyngeal muscle, palatopharyngeus, pharyngopalatinus, pharyngostaphylinus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| palatouvularis muscle | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, posterior nasal spine; insertion, forms chief bulk of the uvula; action, raises the uvula; nerve supply, pharyngeal plexus. Synonym: musculus uvulae, muscle of uvula, musculus azygos uvulae, palatouvularis muscle, uvularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| palmar interosseous muscle | <anatomy> Three muscles in the hand; origin, first: ulnar side of second metacarpal; second and third: radial sides of fourth and fifth metacarpals; insertion, first: into ulnar side of index; second and third: into radial sides of ring and little fingers; action, adducts fingers toward axis of middle finger; nerve supply, ulnar. See: flexor pollicis brevis muscle. Synonym: musculus interosseus palmaris, musculus interosseus volaris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Gantzer's muscle | <anatomy> An accessory muscle extending from the superficial flexor of the digits to the deep flexor of the digits. (05 Mar 2000) |