| intercalated disc | An electron dense junctional complex, at the end to end contacts of cardiac muscle cells, that contains gap junctions and desmosomes. most of the disc is formed of a convoluted fascia adherens type of junction into which the actin filaments of the terminal sarcomeres insert (they are therefore equivalent to half Z bands), desmosomes are also present. The lateral portion of the stepped disc contains gap junctions that couple the cells electrically and thus coordinate the contraction. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| interpubic disc | The disk of fibrocartilage that unites the pubic bones at the pubic symphysis. Synonym: discus interpubicus, interpubic disk, lamina fibrocartilaginea interpubica. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intervertebral disc | <anatomy> The intervertebral discs or nucleus pulposus are a fibro-cartilaginous disc that lie between the vertebral bodies in the spine. These disks are composed of a central gelatinous-like material that provide a cushioning or shock absorbing quality to the spinal column to axial stress. Discs may herniate or rupture, resulting in a condition known as a radiculopathy. (27 Sep 1997) |
| tilting disc valve | A variety of prosthetic cardiac valve composed of one or two discs within a retaining device. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tilting disc valve prosthesis | A low profile artificial heart valve with excellent flow characteristics. (05 Mar 2000) |
| electrophoresis, disc | Electrophoresis in which discontinuities in both the voltage and pH gradients are introduced by using buffers of different composition and pH in the different parts of the gel column. The term 'disc' was originally used as an abbreviation for 'discontinuous' referring to the buffers employed, and does not have anything to do with the shape of the separated zones. (12 Dec 1998) |
| excavation of optic disc | The normally occurring depression or pit in the centre of the optic disc. Synonym: excavatio disci, depression of optic disk, excavatio papillae, physiologic cup, physiologic excavation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Z disc | <cell biology> Region of the sarcomere into which thin filaments are inserted. Location of _ actinin in the sarcomere. (18 Nov 1997) |
| fibrous ring of intervertebral disc | The ring of fibrocartilage and fibrous tissue forming the circumference of the intervertebral disc; surrounds the nucleus pulposus, which is prone to herniation when the annulus fibrosus is compromised. Synonym: annulus fibrosus disci intervertebralis, annulus fibrosus, fibrous ring of intervertebral disc, fibrous ring. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bilaterally small, smooth kidneys | <radiology> Generalised atherosclerosis, nephrosclerosis - benign and malignant, atheroembolic renal disease, chronic glomerulonephritis, papillary necrosis, hereditary diseases, hereditary chronic nephritis (Alport's syndrome), medullary cystic disease, amyloidosis (late), arterial hypotension Cf: other urographic patterns (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, non-small-cell lung | A heterogeneous aggregate of at least three distinct histological types of lung cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. They are dealt with collectively because of the shared properties of poor response to conventional chemotherapy and the potential for cure with surgical resection in a fraction of patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| carcinoma, small cell | An anaplastic, highly malignant, and usually bronchogenic carcinoma composed of small ovoid cells with scanty neoplasm. It is characterised by a dominant, deeply basophilic nucleus, and absent or indistinct nucleoli. There are admixtures of small cell lung carcinoma with other types of lung cancer. Small cell carcinomas are distinguished by their distinctive biological features, response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and by their nearly universal tendency to develop overt or subclinical metastases, which frequently eliminates surgery in most patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| generalised small bowel disease | <radiology> Hypoproteinaemia, sprue, Whipple (12 Dec 1998) |
| mesenteric portion of small intestine | The freely movable portion of the small intestine supplied with a mesentery, comprising the jejunum and ileum. Synonym: mesenteric portion of small intestine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ribonucleoproteins, small nuclear | Highly conserved nuclear RNA-protein complexes that function in RNA processing in the nucleus, including pre-mRNA splicing and pre-mRNA 3'-end processing in the nucleoplasm. The u3 snrnp is localised in the nucleolus, where it aligns into base pairs with the 28s rrna precursor in a still unidentified region and functions in pre-rrna processing. The u7 snrnp aligns into base pairs with a conserved sequence in the 3'-end of histone pre-mRNA and is an essential cofactor for the cleavage that creates the mature nonadenylated 3'-end. (12 Dec 1998) |