| smooth diet | A diet containing little roughage; used primarily in diseases of the colon. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| smooth endoplasmic reticulum | <cell biology> An internal membrane structure of the eukaryotic cell. Biochemically similar to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but lacks the ribosome binding function. Tends to be tubular rather than sheet like, may be separate from the rough endoplasmic reticulum or may be an extension of it. Abundant in cells concerned with lipid metabolism and proliferates in hepatocytes when animals are challenged with lipophilic drugs. Acronym: SER (18 Nov 1997) |
| smooth leprosy | A benign, stable, and resistant form of the disease in which the lepromin reaction is strongly positive and in which the lesions are erythematous, insensitive, infiltrated plaques with clear-cut edges. Synonym: nodular leprosy, smooth leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth microsome | <cell biology> Fraction produced by ultracentrifugation of a cellular homogenate. It consists of membrane vesicles derived largely from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Origin: Gr. Soma = body (18 Nov 1997) |
| smooth muscle | <anatomy, pathology, physiology> 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 (particularly the gizzard in birds) and in the uterus. The contractile system and its control resemble those of motile tissue cells (e.g. 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) |
| smooth muscle relaxant | An agent, such as an antispasmodic, bronchodilator, or vasodilator, that reduces the tension or tone of smooth (involuntary) muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth muscle tissue | <anatomy, pathology, physiology> 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 (particularly the gizzard in birds) and in the uterus. The contractile system and its control resemble those of motile tissue cells (e.g. 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) |
| smooth muscle tumour | A tumour composed of smooth muscle tissue, as opposed to leiomyoma, a tumour derived from smooth muscle. (12 Dec 1998) |
| smooth muscular sphincter | A sphincter of smooth musculature. Synonym: smooth muscular sphincter. Origin: G. Lissos, smooth, + sphincter (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth strain | <microbiology> Bacterial strains that have altered outer cell wall carbohydrate chains causing colonies on agar to change their appearance from smooth to dull. In Streptococci the smooth strains are virulent whereas the rough strains are not. This is partly because the rough strains are much more readily phagocytosed. (17 Dec 1997) |
| smooth surface caries | Caries initiated on the smooth surfaces of teeth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum | Endoplasmic reticulum that is lacking in ribosomal granules; involved in synthesis of complex lipids and fatty acids, detoxification of drugs, carbohydrate synthesis, and sequestering of Ca++. Synonym: smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| endoplasmic reticulum, smooth | A type of endoplasmic reticulum lacking associated ribosomes on the membrane surface. It exhibits a wide range of specialised metabolic functions including supplying enzymes for steroid synthesis, detoxification, and glycogen breakdown. In muscle cells, smooth endoplasmic reticulum is called sarcoplasmic reticulum. (12 Dec 1998) |