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United States National Library of Medicine
Industry: Library & information science
Number of terms: 152252
Number of blossaries: 0
Company Profile:
The National Library of Medicine (NLM), on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, is the world's largest medical library. The Library collects materials and provides information and research services in all areas of biomedicine and health care.
Testing that reveals the specific alleles inherited by an individual; particularly useful for situations in which more than one genotypic combination can produce the same clinical presentation, as in the ABO blood group, where both the AO and AA genotypes yield type A blood.
Industry:Medical
The most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.
Industry:Medical
1) Connections between cells which allow passage of small molecules and electric current. Gap junctions were first described anatomically as regions of close apposition between cells with a narrow (1-2 nm) gap between cell membranes. The variety in the properties of gap junctions is reflected in the number of connexins, the family of proteins which form the junctions. 2) An area of contact between adjacent cells characterized by modification of the plasma membranes for intercellular communication or transfer of low molecular-weight substances.
Industry:Medical
An aldohexose that occurs naturally in the D-form in lactose, cerebrosides, gangliosides, and mucoproteins. Deficiency of galactosyl-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (galactose-1-phosphate uridyl-transferase deficiency disease) cause an error in galactose metabolism called galactosemia, resulting in elevations of galactose in the blood.
Industry:Medical
A cluster of convoluted capillaries beginning at each nephric tubule in the kidney and held together by connective tissue.
Industry:Medical
1) Analyzing DNA to look for a genetic alteration that may indicate an increased risk for developing a specific disease or disorder. 2) Analyzing an individual's genetic material to determine predisposition to a particular health condition or to confirm a diagnosis of genetic disease. 3) Examining a sample of blood or other body fluid or tissue for biochemical, chromosomal, or genetic markers that indicate the presence or absence of genetic disease. 4) Genetic testing is the use of a laboratory test to look for genetic variations associated with a disease. The results of a genetic test can be used to confirm or rule out a suspected genetic disease or to determine the likelihood of a person passing on a mutation to their offspring. Genetic testing may be performed prenatally or after birth. Ideally, a person who undergoes a genetic test will discuss the meaning of the test and its results with a genetic counselor.
Industry:Medical
1) The natural process of breaking and rejoining DNA strands to produce new combinations of genes and, thus, generate genetic variation. Gene crossover during meiosis. 2) The exchange of a segment of DNA between two homologous chromosomes during meiosis leading to a novel combination of genetic material in the offspring.
Industry:Medical
1) The non-neuronal cells of the nervous system. They not only provide physical support, but also respond to injury, regulate the ionic and chemical composition of the extracellular milieu, participate in the blood-brain barrier and blood-retinal barrier, form the myelin insulation of nervous pathways, guide neuronal migration during development, and exchange metabolites with neurons. Neuroglia have high-affinity transmitter uptake systems, voltage-dependent and transmitter-gated ion channels, and can release transmitters, but their role in signaling (as in many other functions) is unclear. 2) A type of cell that surrounds nerve cells and holds them in place. Glial cells also insulate nerve cells from each other.
Industry:Medical
1) Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution. It refers to random fluctuations in the frequencies of alleles from generation to generation due to chance events. Genetic drift can cause traits to be dominant or disappear from a population. The effects of genetic drift are most pronounced in small populations. 2) Random changes in gene frequency especially in small populations when leading to preservation or extinction of particular genes.
Industry:Medical
A test to check for blood in the stool. Small samples of stool are placed on special cards and sent to a doctor or laboratory for testing. Blood in the stool may be a sign of colorectal cancer.
Industry:Medical