| primitive pit | The depression in the primitive node that serves to connect the notochordal canal with the surface ectoderm and the yolk sac. These connections are referred to as the neurenteric canal. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| primitive reticular cell | A cell with processes making contact with those of other similar cell's to form a cellular network; along with the network of reticular fibres, the reticular cell's form the stroma of bone marrow and lymphatic tissues. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primitive ridge | One of the paired ridge's on either side of the primitive groove. (05 Mar 2000) |
| primitive streak | An ectodermal ridge in the midline at the caudal end of the embryonic disk from which arises the intraembryonic mesoderm; achieved by inward and then lateral migration of cells; in human embryos, it appears on day 15 and gives a cephalocaudal axis to the developing embryo. Synonym: germinal streak. (05 Mar 2000) |
| neuroectodermal tumour, primitive | A malignant brain tumour sharing common features and biologic properties with medulloblastoma. Some pathologists and clinicians use the terms interchangeably: they both can disseminate throughout the nervous system and, in some cases, systemically. most lesions arise from the posterior fossa in children under five years of age. The tumour often produces hydrocephalus and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Papilledema is often present. (12 Dec 1998) |
| abdominal part of thoracic duct | The part of the thoracic duct between the cisterna chyli and the aortic hiatus of the diaphragm. Synonym: pars abdominalis ductus thoracici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| accessory pancreatic duct | The excretory duct of the head of the pancreas, one branch of which joins the pancreatic duct, the other opening independently into the duodenum at the lesser duodenal papilla. Synonym: ductus pancreaticus accessorius, Bernard's canal, Bernard's duct, ductus dorsopancreaticus, Santorini's canal, Santorini's duct. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenoma, bile duct | A benign tumour of the intrahepatic bile ducts. (12 Dec 1998) |
| alveolar duct | The part of the respiratory passages distal to the respiratory bronchiole; from it arise alveolar sacs and alveoli, the smallest of the intralobular duct's in the mammary gland, into which the secretory alveoli open. Synonym: ductulus alveolaris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alveolar duct emphysema | Emphysema in which the primary involvement is in the alveolar ducts and respiratory bronchioles, as opposed to panacinar emphysema. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amniotic duct | The transitory opening between the seroamniotic folds in birds just before they fuse to form the seroamniotic raphe. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ampulla of milk duct | A circumscribed spindle-shaped dilation of the lactiferous duct just before it enters the nipple. In nursing mothers this dilatation stores a droplet of milk which is expressed by compression as the infant begins to suckle; this is thought to encourage continual suckling while the let-down reflex ensues. Synonym: sinus lactiferi, ampulla lactifera, ampulla of milk duct, lactiferous ampulla. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arch of thoracic duct | See: thoracic duct. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arterial duct | Before birth, the blood headed from the heart (via the pulmonary artery) for the lungs is shunted away from the lungs and returned to the greatest of arteries (the aorta). The shunt is through a short vessel called the ductus arteriosus. When the shunt is open, it is said to be patent (pronounced pa'tent). The patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) usually closes at or shortly after birth and blood is permtted from that moment on to course freely to the lungs. If the ductus stays open (patent), flow reverses and blood from the aorta is shunted into the pulmonary artery and recirculated through the lungs. The PDA may close later spontaneously (on its own) or need to be ligated (tied off) surgically. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Bartholin's duct | The duct that drains the anterior portion of the sublingual gland; it opens at the sublingual papilla. Synonym: ductus sublingualis major, Bartholin's duct. (05 Mar 2000) |