Glossary
BioScience.com.pk try the best to avoid the use of medical terms that could make it more difficult to understand the information on this website. Still, there are a number of terms that can’t be avoided and that are useful to know because they are so often used by the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with whom you might speak. The list below includes the terms used on BioScience.com.pk for which we have provided definitions.
Term | Definition |
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Uveitis | Painful swelling and irritation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye (the layer just beneath the white of the eye), which causes redness without itching; it is a serious condition that can lead to loss of vision. |
USPSTF | Also known as: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force |
Urinary casts | |
Urethra | Tube through which urine passes from the bladder to outside of the body; in men, it is also the tube that runs through the penis and through which semen is dischargedTube through which urine passes from the bladder to outside of the body; in men, it is also the tube that runs through the penis and through which semen is discharged |
Uremia | A serious condition in which toxic waste products, normally excreted in the urine, build up in the blood; this is usually as a result of severe kidney disease or kidney failure. |
Undifferentiated | Cells that are immature, embryonic or primitve, and have no specific form or specialized function are said to be undifferentiated |
Unconjugated bilirubin | A fat-soluble form of bilirubin that is formed during the initial chemical breakdown of hemoglobin and, while being transported in the blood, is mostly bound to albumin. |
Ulcerative colitis | A chronic disease of unknown cause that is characterized by inflammation, ulcers, and fluid collection in the lining of the colon; this condition may cause diarrhea with blood and/or mucus and stomach cramping and pain. |
Ulcer | A defect in the skin or lining of the mouth or intestines resulting from an infectious, malignant, or inflammatory process; examples include peptic (stomach) ulcers and mouth ulcers (canker sores) |
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force | Also known as: USPSTF |
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor | Drug used to treat certain types of cancer; it inhibits the action of tyrosine kinase, an enzyme involved in cell growth, thus impeding the growth of cancer cells. |
Tyrosine kinase | An enzyme that works by adding phosphate groups to various molecules, changing their function |
Turner Syndrome | A disorder involving the X chromosomes in females. Normally, there are two functioning X chromosomes in every cell in the female body. In Turner syndrome, one of the X chromosomes is missing or is abnormal, or there are two normal X chromosomes present but in only some of the cells. Women with Turner syndrome usually have underdeveloped female sexual characteristics. |
Tumor | |
Tubule | A long, thin hollow tube; in the kidney, a structure that connects to the glomerulus and helps the kidney retain needed small substances (such as water, electrolytes, glucose, calcium) while allowing elimination of waste products. Its contents eventually drain into the collecting system of the kidney as urine. |