| capacity factor | <physics> This is the ratio of the average power output from an electric power plant to the plant's rated capacity. A capacity factor is ideally unity, but invariably less. Capacity factors vary widely between types of electric plants (for example, nuclear, solar, coal, etc.), and can even vary widely for a single type of power plant. <radiobiology> Index (typically in percent) indicating the average power supplied by an energy plant, relative to its maximum rated capacity. Synonym: plant factor, load factor. (13 Jan 1998) |
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| capillary permeability factor | A mixture of bioflavonoids extracted from plants (especially citrus fruits). It reduces the permeability and fragility of capillaries and is useful in the treatment of certain cases of purpura that are resistant to vitamin C therapy. See: hesperidin, quercetin, rutin. Synonym: capillary permeability factor, citrin, permeability vitamin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| galactagogue factor | <endocrinology> A factor in extracts of the posterior lobe of the hypophysis that, by stimulating the smooth muscle of the lobulo-alveolar system of the mammary gland, causes a flow of milk from the nipple. (05 Mar 2000) |
| galactopoietic factor | <protein> Pituitary lactogenic hormone (23 kD) Synthesised on endoplasmic reticulum bound ribosomes as preprolactin that has an N terminal signal peptide that is cleaved from the mature form. The conversion of preprolactin to prolactin has been much used as an assay for membrane insertion. (18 Nov 1997) |
| macrophage-activating factor | An agent that stimulates macrophages to attack and ingest cancer cells. They are secreted by stimulated lymphocytes that prime macrophages to become non-specifically cytotoxic to tumours. They also modulate the expression of macrophage cell surface ia antigens. One maf is interferon-gamma (interferon type II). Other factors antigenically distinct from ifn-gamma have also been identified. (12 Dec 1998) |
| macrophage colony-stimulating factor | <growth factor> A glycoprotein growth factor that causes the committed cell line to proliferate and mature into macrophages. A cytokine synthesised by mesenchymal cells that stimulates pluripotent stem cells of bone marrow into differentiating towards the production of monocytes (mononuclear phagocytes). The compound stimulates the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of haematopoietic cells of the monocyte-macrophage series. It is a disulfide-bonded glycoprotein dimer with a mw of 70 kD and binds to a single class of high affinity receptor which is identical to the product of the c-fms proto-oncogene. See: colony-stimulating factors. Chemical name: Colony-stimulating factor 1 Acronym: M-CSF (12 Dec 1998) |
| macrophage inhibition factor | <cytokine> A group of lymphokines (including a 14 kD glycoprotein) produced by activated T lymphocytes that reduces macrophage mobility and probably increases macrophage macrophage adhesion. (18 Nov 1997) |
| radiation weighting factor | In radiation protection, a factor weighting the absorbed dose of radiation of a specific type and energy for its effect on tissue. See: equivalent dose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| maise factor | <molecular biology, plant biology> A naturally occurring cytokinin, originally isolated from maize seeds. Its riboside is also a cytokinin. (18 Nov 1997) |
| mammotropic factor | <protein> Pituitary lactogenic hormone (23 kD) Synthesised on endoplasmic reticulum bound ribosomes as preprolactin that has an N terminal signal peptide that is cleaved from the mature form. The conversion of preprolactin to prolactin has been much used as an assay for membrane insertion. (18 Nov 1997) |
| receptors, atrial natriuretic factor | Cell surface proteins that bind atrial natriuretic factor with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behaviour of cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| receptors, colony-stimulating factor | Cell surface receptors for colony-stimulating factors, local mediators, and hormones that regulate the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of haemopoietic cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| receptors, granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor | Receptors that bind and internalise granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor. Their mw is believed to be 150 kD. These receptors are found mainly on a subset of myelomonocytic cells. (12 Dec 1998) |
| receptors, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor | Receptors that bind and internalise the granulocyte-macrophage stimulating factor. Their mw is believed to be 84 kD. The most mature myelomonocytic cells, specifically human neutrophils, macrophages, and eosinophils, express the highest number of affinity receptors for this growth factor. (12 Dec 1998) |
| receptors, macrophage colony-stimulating factor | Glycoproteins of mw 165 kD which are encoded by the c-fms proto-oncogene. The binding of csf-1 to its receptors activates an intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity resulting in autophosphorylation of the receptors on tyrosine, rapid receptor down-regulation, and phosphorylation of as yet unidentified physiologic substrates that initiate a mitogenic response. (12 Dec 1998) |