Canadian Medical Guide > Anatomy > Cells Terms and Definitions




Cells

Medical Definition: Minute protoplasmic masses that make up organized tissue, consisting of a nucleus which is surrounded by protoplasm which contains the various organelles and is enclosed in the cell or plasma membrane. Cells are the fundamental, structural, and functional units of living organisms. (Dorland, 28th ed)
Guide Notes: GEN: avoid: /cytol is available with Cat A, as liver cell or hepatocyte = LIVER /cytol; /cytol is available also with Cat B; cell cycle, cell stages = CELL CYCLE; cell synchronization: index under CYTOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES (NIM)
Also Called: Cytologic Effects
Previously Indexed: Cytology (1966-1971)
Cells Categories.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Antibody-Producing Cells - Cells of the lymphoid series that can react with antigen to produce specific cell products called antibodies. Various cell subpopulations, often B-lymphocytes, can be defined, based on the different classes of immunoglobulins that they synthesize.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Antigen-Presenting Cells - Heterogeneous group of immunocompetent cells that mediates the cellular immune response by processing and presenting antigens to the T-cell receptor. Traditional antigen-presenting cells include MACROPHAGES; DENDRITIC CELLS; LANGERHANS CELLS; and B-LYMPHOCYTES. Follicular dendritic cells (DENDRITIC CELLS, FOLLICULAR) are also considered to be antigen-presenting cells by some authors.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition APUD Cells - Cells derived from primitive cell types in the neural crest. During ontogeny they migrate to the foregut and specific locations of the neuroendocrine system. Properly located these cells form part of the normal hormone producing tissues of the neuroendocrine system. If misdirected these cells may become hyperplastic, adenomatous, or malignant (cf. APUDOMA).
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Blastomeres - The undifferentiated cells produced by early cleavages of the fertilized egg (ZYGOTE) inside the intact ZONA PELLUCIDA. Blastomeres are formed during the MORULA and the BLASTULA stages of the preimplantation EMBRYO.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Blood Cells
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Bone Marrow Cells - Cells contained in the bone marrow including fat cells (see ADIPOCYTES), STROMAL CELLS, MEGAKARYOCYTES, and the immediate precursors of most blood cells.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Cells, Cultured - Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Cells, Immobilized - Microbial, plant, or animal cells which are immobilized by attachment to solid structures, usually a column matrix. A common use of immobilized cells is in biotechnology for the bioconversion of a substrate to a particular product. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Cellular Structures - Components of a cell.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Connective Tissue Cells - A group of cells that includes FIBROBLASTS, cartilage cells, ADIPOCYTES, smooth muscle cells, and bone cells.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Endothelial Cells - Highly specialized cells that line the ENDOTHELIUM. They are polygonal in shape and joined together by TIGHT JUNCTIONS. The tight junctions allow for variable permeability to specific macromolecules that are transported across the endothelial layer.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Epithelial Cells - Cells that line the inner and outer surfaces of the body.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Erythroid Cells - The series of cells in the red blood cell lineage at various stages of differentiation.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Eukaryotic Cells - Cells of the higher organisms, containing a true nucleus bounded by a nuclear membrane.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Giant Cells - Multinucleated masses produced by the fusion of many cells; often associated with viral infections. In AIDS, they are induced when the envelope glycoprotein of the HIV virus binds to the CD4 antigen of uninfected neighboring T4 cells. The resulting syncytium leads to cell death and thus may account for the cytopathic effect of the virus.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Muscle Cells - Mature contractile cells, commonly known as myocytes, that form one of three kinds of muscle. The three types of muscle cells are skeletal (MUSCLE FIBERS), cardiac (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC), and smooth (MYOCYTES, SMOOTH MUSCLE). They are derived from embryonic (precursor) muscle cells called MYOBLASTS.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Myeloid Cells - The classes of BONE MARROW-derived blood cells in the monocytic series (MONOCYTES and their precursors) and granulocytic series (GRANULOCYTES and their precursors).
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Myoblasts - Embryonic (precursor) cells of the myogenic lineage that develop from the MESODERM. They undergo proliferation, migrate to their various sites, and then differentiate into the appropriate form of myocytes (MYOCYTES, SKELETAL; MYOCYTES, CARDIAC; MYOCYTES, SMOOTH MUSCLE).
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Oxyphil Cells - Large cells with small irregular nuclei and dense acidophilic granules due to the presence of abundant MITOCHONDRIA. Oxyphil cells, also known as oncocytes, are found in oncocytomas of the kidney, salivary glands, and endocrine glands. In the thyroid gland, oxyphil cells are known as Hurthle cells and Askenazy cells.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Phagocytes
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Prokaryotic Cells - Cells, such as those of bacteria and the blue green algae, which lack a nuclear membrane so that the nuclear material is either scattered in the cytoplasm or collected in a nucleoid region.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Protoplasts
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Reed-Sternberg Cells - Large cells of unknown origin, usually multinucleate, whose presence is the common histologic characteristic of HODGKIN DISEASE.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Spheroplasts - Cells, usually bacteria or yeast, which have partially lost their cell wall, lost their characteristic shape and become round.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Stem Cells - Relatively undifferentiated cells that retain the ability to divide and proliferate throughout postnatal life to provide progenitor cells that can differentiate into specialized cells.
Canadian Medical Guide Definition Trophoblasts - Cells lining the outside of the BLASTOCYST. After binding to the ENDOMETRIUM, trophoblasts develop into two distinct layers, an inner layer of mononuclear cytotrophoblasts and an outer layer of continuous multinuclear cytoplasm, the syncytiotrophoblasts, which form the early fetal-maternal interface (PLACENTA).

Cells Medical Definitions and Terms

CANADIAN MEDICAL GUIDE

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