| receptors, tumour necrosis factor | Cell surface receptors that bind tumour necrosis factor and trigger changes which influence the behaviour of cells. The two recognised tumour necrosis factor receptors are designated alpha and beta receptors. Both receptors bind both alpha and beta tumour necrosis factors with high affinity, and both are members of the nerve growth factor receptor family. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| G factor | The single common variance or factor that is common to (i.e., empirically intercorrelates with) different intelligence tests (general). A substance required for the growth of a specific organism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Castle's intrinsic factor | A mucoprotein normally secreted by the epithelium of the stomach and that binds vitamin B12, the intrinsic factor/B12 complex is selectively absorbed by the distal ileum, though only the vitamin is taken into the cell. (18 Nov 1997) |
| maturation factor | <biochemistry> Member of the water soluble B vitamin group, important in the proper function of the nervous system and important in proper carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. (27 Sep 1997) |
| maturation-promoting factor | <enzyme> A protein kinase that drives both the mitotic and meiotic cycles in all eukaryotic organisms. In meiosis it induces immature oocytes to undergo meiotic maturation. In mitosis it has a role in the G2/M phase transition. Once activated by cyclins, maturation-promoting factor directly phosphorylates some of the proteins involved in nuclear envelope breakdown, chromosome condensation, spindle assembly, and the degradation of cyclins. The catalytic subunit of maturation-promoting factor is protein p34cdc2. Acronym: MPF (12 Dec 1998) |
| reflection factor | <microscopy> The ratio of reflected light from a surface to the incident light. This is sometimes called the coefficient of reflection. Unless especially stated it takes into account both specular and diffuse reflection. (05 Aug 1998) |
| cattell personality factor questionnaire | Self report questionnaire which yields 16 scores on personality traits, such as reserved vs. Outgoing, humble vs. Assertive, etc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| glass factor | <chemical> Stable blood coagulation factor activated by contact with the subendothelial surface of an injured vessel. Along with prekallikrein, it serves as the contact factor that initiates the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. Kallikrein activates factor xii to xiia. Deficiency of factor xii, also called the hageman trait, leads to increased incidence of thromboembolic disease. Chemical name: Blood-coagulation factor XII (12 Dec 1998) |
| relaxation factor | Substance presumably involved in the return of muscle fibrils to the resting state after nervous stimulation ceases, postulated to act by withdrawing Calcium from myosin-ATPase sites. (05 Mar 2000) |
| release factor | A component of the specialised transport system involved in the transport of cobalamin (vitamin B12) across the wall of the intestine. Dissociates the complex between cobalamin and the extracellular cobalamin binding glycoprotein known as intrinsic factor. (18 Nov 1997) |
| vitamin B12 with intrinsic factor concentrate | A combination of vitamin B12 with suitable preparations of the mucosa of the stomach or intestine of domestic animals used for food by humans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| glucose tolerance factor | A water-soluble complex containing chromium needed for normal glucose tolerance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| resistance factor | <molecular biology> A self-replicating fragment of nucleic acid that confers drug resistance and is transmitted from one bacterium to another via conjugation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| resistance-inducing factor | An agent from normal chick embryos that interferes with multiplication of the avian leukosis-sarcoma virus, and is seemingly an avirulent leukosis virus antigenically related to the avian leukosis-sarcoma virus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| resistance-transfer factor | The transfer gene of the resistance plasmid. (05 Mar 2000) |