| MSA | major serologic antigen; male-specific antigen; mannitol salt agar; Medical Services Administration;... |
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| MTAC | mass transfer area coefficient |
| MVA | mechanical ventricular assistance; mevalonic acid; mitral valve area; motor vehicle accident |
| MVOA | mitral valve orifice area |
| NCA | National Certification Agency; National Council on Aging; National Council on Alcoholism; neurocircu... |
| 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) |
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| 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) |
| Cajal's cell | A small fusiform cell found in the superficial layer of the cerebral cortex with its long axis placed horizontally. Synonym: Cajal's cell. (05 Mar 2000) |
| caliciform cell | 1. <pathology> Cell of the epithelial lining of small intestine that secretes mucus and has a very well developed Golgi apparatus. 2. <zoology> Cell type characteristic of larval lepidopteran midgut, containing a potent H ATPase and thought to be involved in maintenance of ion and pH gradients. (10 Oct 1997) |
| cameloid cell | An elliptical red blood corpuscle found normally in the lower vertebrates with the exception of Cyclostomata; in mammals it occurs normally only among the camels (family Camelidae), hence cameloid cell. Synonym: cameloid cell, ovalocyte. Origin: G. Elleipsis, a leaving out, an ellipse, + kytos, cell (05 Mar 2000) |
| cancer cell | A cell that divides and reproduces abnormally with uncontrolled growth. This cell can break away and travel to other parts of the body and set up another site, referred to as metastasis. (09 Oct 1997) |
| capsule cell | One of the cells located around the bodies of the cerebrospinal and sympathetic ganglionic neurons. Synonym: capsule cell. Origin: amphi-+ G. Kytos, cell (05 Mar 2000) |
| carcinoma, acinar cell | A malignant tumour arising from secreting cells of a racemose gland, particularly the salivary glands. Racemose (latin racemosus, full of clusters) refers, as does acinar (latin acinus, grape), to small saclike dilatations in various glands. Acinar cell carcinomas are usually well differentiated and account for about 13% of the cancers arising in the parotid gland. Lymph node metastasis occurs in about 16% of cases. Local recurrences and distant metastases many years after treatment are common. This tumour appears in all age groups and is most common in women. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, basal cell | A malignant skin neoplasm that seldom metastasizes but has potentialities for local invasion and destruction. Clinically it is divided into types: nodular, cicatricial, morphaic, and erythematoid (pagetoid). More than 95% of these carcinomas occur in patients over 40. They develop on hair-bearing skin, most commonly on sun-exposed areas. Approximately 85% are found on the head and neck area and the remaining 15% on the trunk and limbs. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, giant cell | An epithelial neoplasm characterised by unusually large anaplastic cells. It is highly malignant with fulminant clinical course, bizarre histologic appearance and poor prognosis. It is most common in the lung and thyroid. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, islet cell | A carcinoma of the islets of langerhans. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, large cell | A tumour of undifferentiated (anaplastic) cells of large size. It is usually bronchogenic. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, merkel cell | A carcinoma arising from merkel cells located in the basal layer of the epidermis and occurring most commonly as a primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. Merkel cells are tactile cells of neuroectodermal origin and histologically show neurosecretory granules. The skin of the head and neck are a common site of merkel cell carcinoma, occurring generally in elderly patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, non-small-cell lung | A heterogeneous aggregate of at least three distinct histological types of lung cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. They are dealt with collectively because of the shared properties of poor response to conventional chemotherapy and the potential for cure with surgical resection in a fraction of patients. (12 Dec 1998) |