| NRBC | National Rare Blood Club; normal red blood cell; nucleated red blood cell |
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| NSC | neurosecretory cell; no significant change; nonservice connected; nonspecific suppressor cell; norma... |
| RC | an electronic circuit containing a resistor and capacitor in series; radiocarpal; reaction center; r... |
| RCA | red cell agglutination; relative chemotactic activity; renal cell carcinoma; right carotid artery; r... |
| RCF | red cell ferritin; red cell folate; relative centrifugal field/force; ristocetin cofactor |
| cell hybridization | Fusion of two or more dissimilar cells, leading to formation of a synkaryon. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| cell hypoxia | A condition of decreased oxygen content at the cellular level. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cell inclusions | The residual elements of the cytoplasm that are metabolic products of the cell, e.g., pigment granules or crystals. Synonym: metaplasm. Storage materials such as glycogen or fat, engulfed material such as carbon or other foreign substances. See: inclusion bodies. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cell junction | <cell biology> Specialised junctions between cells. See: adherens junctions, desmosomes, tight junctions, gap junctions. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell line | <cell culture> A cell line is a permanently established cell culture that will proliferate indefinitely given appropriate fresh medium and space. Lines differ from cell strains in that they have escaped the Hayflick limit and become immortalised. Some species, particularly rodents, give rise to lines relatively easily, whereas other species do not. No cell lines have been produced from avian tissues and the establishment of cell lines from human tissue is difficult. Many cell biologists would consider that a cell line is by definition already abnormal and that it is on the way towards becoming the culture equivalent of a neoplastic cell. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell lineage | <cell culture, embryology> The lineage of a cell relates to its derivation from the undifferentiated tissues of the embryo. Committed embryonic progenitors give rise to a range of differentiated cells: in principle it should be possible to trace the ancestry lineage) of any adult cell. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell line rights | <cell culture> Ownership of a new organism entity. Rulings indicate that any organism that is patentable at all can be patented if it has been manipulated to do something useful. Usually, the rights do not reside with the individual who has supplied the source of the organism, but with the individual or organisation who has made it. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell line, transformed | Eukaryotic cell line obtained in a quiescent or stationary phase which undergoes conversion to a state of unregulated growth in culture, resembling an in vitro tumour. It occurs spontaneously or through interaction with viruses, oncogenes, radiation, or drugs/chemicals. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cell locomotion | <cell biology> Movement of a cell from one place to another. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell marker | <cell biology> Biochemical or genetic characteristics which distinguish and discriminate between different cell types. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell matrix | A fluid cytoplasmic substance filling the interstices of the cytoskeleton. Synonym: cell matrix, cytomatrix. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cell-mediated immunity | <immunology> Immune response that involves effector T lymphocytes and not the production of humoral antibody. Responsible for allograft rejection, delayed hypersensitivity and in defence against viral infection and intracellular protozoan parasites. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell-mediated reaction | Immunological reaction of the delayed type, involving chiefly T lymphocytes, important in host defense against infection, in autoimmune diseases, and in transplant rejection. See: skin test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cell membrane | <cell biology> The structure enveloping a cell, enclosing the cytoplasm and forming a selective permeability barrier. It consists of lipids, proteins and some carbohydrates, the lipids thought to form a bilayer in which integral proteins are embedded to varying degrees. Synonym: plasma membrane. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cell membrane permeability | A quality of cell membranes which permits the passage of solvents and solutes into and out of cells. (12 Dec 1998) |