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A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
- CCR3
- chemotactic chemokine receptor 3
- CCR5
- chemotactic chemokine receptor 5
- C-terminal
- [view]
- C value
- [discussion]
- Cadherins
- Caenorhabditis elegans
- [genome][germline vs somatic cells]
- Calciferol
- [Discussion]
- Calcitonin
- [Discussion]
- Calcitriol
- The active form of vitamin D [1,25(OH)2D3]. [More]
- Calcium
- Metallic element (No. 20) that plays many essential roles in living processes.
- [in nutrition][RDA] [homeostatic regulation of]
- Calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase II
- CaMKII
- Calorie
- The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water 1 degree Celsius. When capitalized, a unit of heat 1000 times larger than the above.
- Calvin cycle
- [More][role of light reactions]
- Cambium
- Layer of meristematic cells in the roots and stems of many vascular plants that produces secondary xylem and phloem.
- Cambrian period
- CaMKII
- Calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase II
- Cancer
- Any disease characterized by an uncontrolled proliferation of one kind of cell. [General discussion] [Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia][Cancer Cells in Culture] [Burkitt's Lymphoma] [lung cancer] [colon cancer] [Oncogenes] [tumor suppressor genes] [and apoptosis] [caused by power lines?] [and telomeres]
- Capillaries
- [physiology]
- Capping
- [of pre-mRNA]
- Carbonic anhydrase
- Carbonyl group
- Structure
- Carbohydrate
- Organic molecule containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, generally with a 2:1 ratio of hydrogen atoms to oxygen atoms. Sugars, starches, and cellulose are carbohydrates. [Illustrated discussion]
- Carbon dioxide
- [transport by blood]
- Carboxyl terminal
- The end of a polypeptide chain with a free carboxyl (-COOH) group attached to the main chain. Synthesis of polypeptides proceeds from the amino terminal to the carboxyl terminal.[View]
- Carboxypeptidase
- Carcinogen
- A substance that causes cancer.
- Carcinoma
- A cancer of epithelial cells.
- Cardiac muscle
- Heart muscle. [Discussion]
- Carpel
- Cartilage
- Caspase
- Proteolytic enzyme involved in apoptosis.
- Catabolism
- Destructive metabolism in which complex molecules are broken down into simpler ones, with the liberation of energy. [ More ]
- Catabolite activator protein (CAP)
- Catalase
- Catalyst
- Substance that accelerates the rate of chemical reaction without being used up in the process. Enzymes are catalysts.
- Cataracts
- Catecholamines.
- Catenins
- CCK
- Cholecystokinin
- CD4
- subset of T cells [in AIDS]
- CD8
- subset of T cells
- CellCept
- Cell Cycle
- Discussion
- Cell-mediated immunity
- An immune response (e.g., graft rejection) that is dependent on specifically sensitized (i.e., able to recognize antigen) T lymphocytes. [More]
- Cell plate
- [in plant cytokinesis]
- Cellular respiration
- [Discussion]
- Cellulose
- Cenozoic era
- Centimorgan (cM)
- Central dogma
- [Discussion]
- Centriole
- [Discussion]
- Centromere
- [of chromosome]
- Centrosome
- [General discussion] [in mitosis]
- Cephalosporins
- Cerebellum
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Cesium
- A rare element that resembles potassium in its chemical properties. Nuclear reactors produce radioactive cesium-137. If this escapes into the environment (as it did at Chernobyl), it can enter human tissue masquerading as potassium.
- Chaparral
- The scrub forest biome found in Southern California.
- Chaperone
- A protein that stabilizes newly-synthesized, unfolded proteins until they reach their final destination where they can assume their characteristic three-dimensional shape.[protein folding] [in protein kinesis]
- Character displacement
- Evolutionary divergence of two species that reduces the amount of niche overlap between them.
- Chargaff
- [his rule]
- Chemiosmosis
- [in chloroplasts][in mitochondria]
- Chemoautotrophic
- Autotrophic, using energy secured by oxidizing some inorganic substance. Characteristic of certain bacteria.
- Chemokine
- A cytokine that attracts white blood cells (WBCs). These secreted proteins regulate the migration of WBCs from the blood into the tissues and promote inflammation. Some are also essential for proper embryonic development. Over 40 different chemokines have been identified. [Some examples]
- Chemotherapy
- Treating a patient with chemicals to combat an infectious disease or cancer.
- Chernobyl
- [radiation] [effect of fallout]
- Chiasma
- The attachment of two nonsister chromatids in a bivalent that is first seen in diplotene of prophase I of meiosis. Each chiasma results in the exchange of genes between the nonsister chromatids (i.e., crossing over). The plural is chiasmata.[More]
- Chitin
- Nitrogen-containing polysaccharide that forms the exoskeleton of arthropods and the cell walls of many fungi.
- Chloracne
- [from dioxin]
- Chlorination
- [of water supplies]
- Chlorofluorohydrocarbons (CFCs)
- [ozone layer]
- Chlorophyll
- Green pigment used in photosynthesis.
- Chloroplasts
- [genome]
- Cholecystokinin
- CCK
- Cholera
- [1991 epidemic]
- Cholesterol
- Steroid found in cell membranes and also used as the precursor for the synthesis of several steroid hormones (e.g., estrogens and glucocorticoids). [Discussion] [uptake by cells]
- Cholinesterase
- Enzyme that hydrolyzes and thus inactivates acetylcholine. Also called acetylcholinesterase. [At neuromuscular junction]
- chordin (chd)
- [role of gene in frog embryology]
- Chorion
- The outer extraembryonic membrane of reptiles, birds, and mammals. In mammals it contributes to the formation of the placenta. [More]
- Choroid coat
- of human eye
- Chorionic gonadotropin
- hCG
- Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
- Medical procedure in which cells are removed from the chorion for testing.
- Chromatid
- Each of the two strands ("sister" chromatids) of a duplicated chromosome while they remain attached by their shared centromere. [Diagram]
- Chromatin
- The material (about 50% DNA and 50% proteins) of which chromosomes are made. [More]
- Chromatography
- The process of separating the components of a mixture by their differential adsorption to an insoluble matrix (e.g., paper) as the mixture is passed through the matrix. [affinity chromatography] [exclusion chromatography]
- Chromosome
- Molecule of DNA containing genes arranged in a linear order and associated with proteins and, often, some RNA. Chromosomes become sufficiently compact during mitosis and meiosis that they can be seen under the light microscope. The number of chromosomes is usually constant for each species. [More] [chromosome maps]
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
- [Discussion][mutation]
- Chymotrypsin
- Cigarettes
- [and health]
- Cilia
- Circadian
- Occurring approximately once a day.
- Citric acid cycle
- [Discussion]
- Cleavage
- Repeated mitotic cell divisions
of the zygote which forms the many-celled blastula, usually without any increase in overall size. [in frog] [discussion]
- Clinical trials
- of drugs
- Cloaca
- Posterior part of the alimentary canal into which the urinary and reproductive tracts empty in birds, reptiles, amphibians, and many fishes.
- Clonal selection
- in the immune system
- Clone
- The descendants produced asexually from a single cell or organism. Characterized by a identical genetic constitution.[cloning DNA] [cloning animals]
- CMA-676
- Cnidaria
- The phylum of animals that includes the hydra, jellyfishes, sea anemones, and corals. Formerly called Coelenterata.
- Cocaine
- Codominance
- The independent expression of each of two alleles in a heterozygote.
- Codon
- The 3 adjacent nucleotides in a molecule of DNA or messenger RNA that code for a particular amino acid (or, in three cases, stop translation).
- [DNA codons] [RNA codons][mRNA translation]
- Coelom
- Main body cavity of many animals. It is lined with an epithelium derived from mesoderm.
- Coenzyme
- Organic molecule associated with certain enzymes and required for their activity. [More] Several vitamins are components of coenzymes.
- Cohesion
- Force of attraction between like molecules.
- Coleoptile
- Protective sheath surrounding the plumule of grass seedlings.
- Collagen
- Extracellular glycoprotein abundant in connective tissue. [More]
- Collective dose
- Discussion
- Collenchyma
- Supporting plant tissue consisting of living cells whose walls are thickened at the corners. Often found in young, growing stems and petioles. [View]
- Colloid
- Substance whose particles (macromolecules or aggregates of smaller molecules) range from 1-1000 nm in size.
- Color blindness
- Colostrum
- Fluid synthesized by mammary glands shortly after birth and before milk production begins. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and provides passive immunity to the newborn.
- Community
- The population of plants, animals, and microbes found in a particular area and often interacting with one another.
- Companion cell
- Competitive inhibition
- of enzymes
- Complementary DNA (cDNA)
- A DNA molecule synthesized (by reverse transcriptase) from an RNA template. When the template is messenger RNA (mRNA), the cDNA represents an intronless gene.
- Compound
- Substance that can be decomposed into simpler substances. The elements of a compound are present in definite proportions by weight. [More]
- Computed tomography (CT)
- Cones
- of human retina
- Conifer
- A cone-bearing gymnosperm. Includes pines, spruces, and firs.
- Conjugation
- Form of sexual reproduction in which genes are exchanged during the temporary union of two cells. Occurs in many ciliates (e.g., Paramecium) and some bacteria.
- Connective tissue
- Connexins
- Contact dermatitis
- Delayed response to an allergen on the skin. [More] [still more]
- Contraceptive, oral
- Convergence
- Evolution of superficially similar traits in unrelated organisms that lived in a similar environment.
- Copulation
- Physical union of two animals during which sperm cells are transferred from one to the other.
- Corpus luteum
- Corepressor
- A small molecule that joins with a repressor protein to block gene transcription in prokaryotes. [tryptophan as a corepressor]
- Cornea
- of human eye
- Coronary system
- Cortex
- The outer part of an organ.
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone
- CRH
- Cortisol
- Cotyledon
- Covalent bond
- Chemical bond formed by one or more shared pairs of electrons. [More]
- CpG islands
- Tracts of alternating cytosines (C) and guanines (G) in DNA. The Cs in CpG islands are often methylated. [role in genomic imprinting]
- Cranial nerves
- Creatine phosphate
- [role in contraction of skeletal muscle]
- Cristae
- [in mitochondria]
- Crossing over
- [in meiosis]
- Cushing's syndrome
- Cyanobacteria
- A group of photosynthetic prokaryotes formerly known as blue-green algae.
- Cyclic ADP ribose
- Cyclic AMP
- cAMP
- Cyclin
- One of several proteins that must sequentially and temporarily associate with cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) in order for the cell to pass to the next stage of the cell cycle. [Discussion]
- Cyclosporine
- An immunosuppressant.
- Cysteine
- [structure]
- Cystic fibrosis (CF)
- [mutations]
- Cytochrome
- One of several iron-containing proteins, found in mitochondria and chloroplasts, that transfer electrons in the process of cellular respiration and photosynthesis, respectively. [in mitochondria] [in chloroplasts]
- Cytokine
- Protein secreted by a cell that signals other cells in a paracrine fashion or even itself (autocrine). The various lymphokines, chemokines, interferons, colony-stimulating factors, and tumor necrosis factor are examples.
- Cytokinesis
- The division of the cytoplasm - as contrasted with the nucleus - during mitosis or meiosis.[More]
- Cytokinins
- Plant hormones.
- Cytoplasm
- General term for all the contents of the cell outside the nucleus and within the plasma membrane.
- Cytosine
- [structure]
- Cytosol
- The fluid in which the organelles of the cytoplasm are suspended. Also called the ground substance of the cell.
- Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)
- [More]