| anterior quadrigeminal body | The paired, larger, rounded anterior eminence of the laminae of mesencephalic tectum; major afferent connections of the superficial layers are the retina and striate cortex; input to deep layers of the colliculus are polymodal. Its efferent connections are with the lower brainstem and spinal cord (tectobulbar tract and tectospinal tract) and with the pulvinar and other cell groups in the caudal part of the thalamus; participates in extrageniculate visual pathway. Synonym: colliculus superior, anterior quadrigeminal body, corpus quadrigeminum anterius. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| aortic body tumour | Aortic body, carotid body, chemoreceptor, or glomus jugulare tumour; nonchromaffin paraganglioma; receptoma; a relatively rare, usually benign neoplasm originating in the chemoreceptor tissue of the carotid body, glomus jugulare, and aortic bodies; consisting histologically of rounded or ovoid hyperchromatic cells that tend to be grouped in an alveolus-like pattern within a scant to moderate amount of fibrous stroma and a few large thin-walled vascular channels. Compare: paraganglioma. Synonym: aortic body tumour, carotid body tumour, chemoreceptor tumour, glomus jugulare tumour, nonchromaffin paraganglioma. Origin: chemo-+ G. Dektes, receiver, fr. Dechomai, to receive, + -oma, tumour (05 Mar 2000) |
| asteroid body | An eosinophilic inclusion resembling a star with delicate radiating lines, occurring in a vacuolated area of cytoplasm of a multinucleated giant cell; especially frequent in sarcoidosis, but occurs also in other granulomas, a structure that is characteristic of sporotrichosis when found in the skin or secondary lesions of this mycosis; in tissue, it surrounds the 3-to 5-um in diameter ovoid yeast of Sporothrix schenkii. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Barr body | Small dark staining inactivated X chromosome seen in female (XX) cells. According to the Lyon hypothesis, random inactivation occurs. (18 Nov 1997) |
| Barr chromatin body | Condensed chromatin of the inactivated X chromosome in female mammals (Barr body). (18 Nov 1997) |
| basal body | <cell biology> Structure found at the base of eukaryotic cilia and flagella consisting of a continuation of the nine outer sets of axonemal microtubules but with the addition of a C tubule to form a triplet (like the centriole). May be self replicating and serves as a nucleating centre for axonemal assembly. Anchored in the cytoplasm by rootlets. Synonymous with kinetosome. (18 Nov 1997) |
| basal body temperature | <biology> The temperature taken at its lowest point in the day, usually in the morning before getting out of bed. (09 Oct 1997) |
| basal lamina of ciliary body | The inner layer of the ciliary body, continuous with the basal layer of the choroid and supporting the pigment epithelium of the ciliary retina. Synonym: lamina basalis corporis ciliaris, basal layer of ciliary body. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basal layer of ciliary body | The inner layer of the ciliary body, continuous with the basal layer of the choroid and supporting the pigment epithelium of the ciliary retina. Synonym: lamina basalis corporis ciliaris, basal layer of ciliary body. (05 Mar 2000) |
| body | Origin: OE. Bodi, AS. Bodig; akin to OHG. Botah. Cf. Bodice. 1. The material organised substance of an animal, whether living or dead, as distinguished from the spirit, or vital principle; the physical person. "Absent in body, but present in spirit." (1 Cor. V. 3) "For of the soul the body form doth take. For soul is form, and doth the body make." (Spenser) 2. The trunk, or main part, of a person or animal, as distinguished from the limbs and head; the main, central, or principal part, as of a tree, army, country, etc. "Who set the body and the limbs Of this great sport together?" (Shak) "The van of the king's army was led by the general; . . . In the body was the king and the prince." (Clarendon) "Rivers that run up into the body of Italy." (Addison) 3. The real, as opposed to the symbolical; the substance, as opposed to the shadow. "Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Col. Ii. 17) 4. A person; a human being; frequently in composition; as, anybody, nobody. "A dry, shrewd kind of a body." (W. Irving) 5. A number of individuals spoken of collectively, usually as united by some common tie, or as organised for some purpose; a collective whole or totality; a corporation; as, a legislative body; a clerical body. "A numerous body led unresistingly to the slaughter." (Prescott) 6. A number of things or particulars embodied in a system; a general collection; as, a great body of facts; a body of laws or of divinity. 7. Any mass or portion of matter; any substance distinct from others; as, a metallic body; a moving body; an aeriform body. "A body of cold air." "By collision of two bodies, grind The air attrite to fire." (Milton) 8. Amount; quantity; extent. 9. That part of a garment covering the body, as distinguished from the parts covering the limbs. 10. The bed or box of a vehicle, on or in which the load is placed; as, a wagon body; a cart body. 11. The shank of a type, or the depth of the shank (by which the size is indicated); as, a nonpareil face on an agate body. 12. <geometry> A figure that has length, breadth, and thickness; any solid figure. 13. Consistency; thickness; substance; strength; as, this colour has body; wine of a good body. Colours bear a body when they are capable of being ground so fine, and of being mixed so entirely with oil, as to seem only a very thick oil of the same colour. After body, an end elevation, showing the conbour of the sides of a ship at certain points of her length. Body politic, the collective body of a nation or state as politically organised, or as exercising political functions; also, a corporation. "As to the persons who compose the body politic or associate themselves, they take collectively the name of "people", or "nation"." (Bouvier) Body servant, a valet. <chemistry> The bodies seven, the metals corresponding to the planets. "Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe (=call), Mars yren (=iron), Mercurie quicksilver we clepe, Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin, and Venus coper." (Chaucer) Body snatcher, one who secretly removes without right or authority a dead body from a grave, vault, etc.; a resurrectionist. Body snatching, the unauthorised removal of a dead body from the grave; usually for the purpose of dissection. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| body burden | The total amount of a chemical, metal or radioactive substance present at any time after absorption in the body of man or animal. (12 Dec 1998) |
| body cavity | The collective visceral cavity of the trunk (thoracic cavity plus abdominopelvic cavity), bounded by the superior thoracic aperture above, the pelvic floor below, and the body walls (parietes) in between. Synonym: celom, celoma, coelom. (05 Mar 2000) |
| body-centreed cubic | A molecular structure in which a cube-shaped lattice is formed with one atom in the middle and four other atoms arranged around it as the corners of the cube. (09 Oct 1997) |
| body constitution | The make-up of the body, determined by the genetic, biochemical, and physiologic endowment of the individual and modified in great measure by environmental factors. (12 Dec 1998) |
| body dysmorphic disorder | A psychosomatic (somatoform) disorder characterised by preoccupation with some imagined defect in appearance in a normal-appearing person. Synonym: dysmorphophobia. (05 Mar 2000) |