| capillary pericyte | A cell with several slender processes that embraces the capillary wall in amphibia. Synonym: capillary pericyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| capillary permeability | Property of blood capillary walls that allows for the selective exchange of substances. Small lipid-soluble molecules such as carbon dioxide and oxygen move freely by diffusion. Water and water-soluble molecules cannot pass through the endothelial walls and are dependent on microscopic pores. These pores show narrow areas (tight junctions) which may limit large molecule movement. (12 Dec 1998) |
| 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) |
| capillary pulse | The alternate rhythmical blanching and reddening of a capillary area, as seen under the nails or in the lip, upon gentle compression; a sign of arteriolar dilation, well seen in aortic insufficiency. (05 Mar 2000) |
| capillary resistance | The resistance offered to the flow of blood through the capillary portion of the peripheral vascular bed. (12 Dec 1998) |
| capillary resistance test | A tourniquet test used to determine presence of vitamin C deficiency or thrombocytopenia; a circle 2.5 cm in diameter, the upper edge of which is 4 cm below the crease of the elbow, is drawn on the inner aspect of the forearm, pressure midway between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure is applied above the elbow for 15 minutes, and a count of petechiae within the circle is made: 10, normal; 10 to 20, marginal zone; over 20, abnormal. See: Rumpel-Leede test. Synonym: capillary resistance test, vitamin C test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| capillary vein | <zoology> A small vein; a veinlet; specifically, one of the small branches of the veins of the wings in insects. Origin: L. Venula, dim. From vena vein. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| capillary vessel | <anatomy> Any one of the minute vessels that connect the arterioles and venules, forming a network in nearly all parts of the body. Their walls act as semipermeable membranes for the interchange of various substances, including fluids, between the blood and tissue fluid. Synonym: vas capillare. Origin: L. Capillaris = hair like (16 Dec 1997) |
| capillary zone electrophoresis | A method for separating molecules extremely rapidly based on their electrophoretic mobility. (05 Mar 2000) |
| venous capillary | A capillary opening into a venule. (05 Mar 2000) |
| continuous capillary | A capillary in which small vesicles (caveolae) are numerous and pores are absent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pulmonary capillary wedge pressure | The pressure obtained when a catheter is passed from the right side of the heart into the pulmonary artery as far as it will go and "wedged" into an end artery. PCWP is measured by letting pulmonary blood flow guide a balloon-flotation catheter into a small pulmonary end artery. The pressure distal to the wedged catheter is an approximation of cardiac left atrial pressure. The pressure recorded with the balloon deflated is pulmonary artery pressure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sinusoidal capillary | <geometry> The curve whose ordinates are proportional to the sines of the abscissas, the equation of the curve being y = a sin x. It is also called the curve of sines. Origin: Sinus. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| electro-capillary | <physics> Pertaining to, or caused by, electro-capillarity. (03 Mar 1998) |
| electrophoresis, capillary | A highly-sensitive (in the picomolar range, which is 10,000-fold more sensitive than conventional electrophoresis) and efficient technique that allows separation of proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. (12 Dec 1998) |