Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

Dorland's Medical Dictionary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary Date & country: 31/12/2010, USA Words: 39128

membrane transport protein
one facilitating the transport of one or more specific substances across the plasma membrane; see also transport protein.

membranocartilaginous
(mem″brә-no-kahr″tĭ-laj´ĭ-nәs) developed in both membrane and cartilage. partly cartilaginous and partly membranous.

membranoid
(mem´brә-noid) resembling a membrane.

membranous adenoma
the membranous type of basal cell adenoma.

membranous bone
bone that develops within a connective tissue membrane, in contrast to cartilage bone.

membranous cataract
a cataract formed of a collapsed, flattened capsule with little or no cortex or epithelium.

membranous glomerulonephritis
a form characterized by proteinaceous deposits on the glomerular capillary basement membrane or by thickening of the membrane, with circulating antigen-antibody complexes indicating immune complex disease; it may be secondary to any of numerous other conditions. In some cases it may develop into the nephrotic syndrome. Called a...

membranous labyrinth
a system of communicating sacs and ducts in the inner ear. Click here to view image Labyrinth. (A),View from the front of the bony labyrinth. (B),View from behind of the membranous labyrinth, which is contained within th...

membranous nephropathy
membranous glomerulonephritis.

membranous pharyngitis
any type in which there is a fibrous exudate and formation of a false membrane, such as in Vincent angina, diphtheria, and other conditions.

membranous rhinitis
chronic rhinitis with the formation of a false membrane, as in nasal diphtheria; called also fibrinous rhinitis.

membrum
(mem´brәm) pl. mem´bra member. limb.

memory
(mem´ә-re) the mental faculty that enables one to retain and recall previously experienced sensations, impressions, information, and ideas. The ability of the brain to retain and to use knowledge gained from past experience is essential to the process of learning. Although the exact way in which the brain re...

memory cells
T and B lymphocytes that mediate immunologic memory; believed to retain information that permits a subsequent antigenic challenge to be followed by a more rapid efficient immunologic reaction than that seen with the first exposure.

menacme
(mә-nak´me) the period of a woman's life during which there is menstruation.

menadiol
(men″ә-di´ol) a vitamin K analogue; its sodium diphosphate salt is prothrombinogenic and is administered orally, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously.

menadione
(men″ә-di´ōn) vitamin K3. a synthetic fat-soluble vitamin that can be converted in the body to active vitamin K; administered orally or intramuscularly. the basic double ring quinone structure that is the parent structure of the related compounds with vitamin K activity, which can be formed...

menaquinone
(men″ә-kwin´ōn) any of a series of compounds having vitamin K activity; these have the phytyl side chain of phytonadione (vitamin K1) replaced by a side chain of prenyl units.

menarche
(mә-nahr´ke) establishment or beginning of the menstrual function. adj., menar´chal, menar´cheal., adj.

Mendel-Bekhterev reflex
Mendel-Bekhterev sign dorsal flexion of the second to fifth toes on percussion of the dorsum of the foot; in certain organic nervous disorders, plantar flexion occurs.

Mendel's laws
(men´dәlz) two laws of inheritance of single-gene traits described by Gregor Mendel, derived from data obtained from his experimental crosses of pea plants; now usually expressed as the law of segregation (the members of a pair of allelic genes segregate from one another and pass to different gametes) and the law ...

mendelevium
(Md) (men″dә-le´ve-әm) a chemical element, atomic number 101, atomic weight 256.

mendelian disorder
a genetic disease, showing a mendelian pattern of inheritance, and caused by a single mutation in the structure of DNA, which causes a single basic defect that has some pathological consequence or consequences. Called also monogenic or single-gene disorder. See also inborn error of metabolism.

mendelian inheritance
inheritance that follows Mendel's laws.

mendelian rate
an expression of the numerical relations of the occurrence of distinctly contrasted mendelian characteristics in succeeding generations of hybrid offspring.

Mendelson syndrome
(men´dәl-sәn) pulmonary acid aspiration syndrome.

Ménétrier disease
(ma-na″tre-a´) excessive proliferation of the gastric mucosa, producing diffuse thickening of the wall; inflammatory changes may be associated. Called also hypertrophic gastritis.

Menghini needle
a needle for liver biopsy, not requiring rotation to cut loose the tissue specimen.

Meniere disease
(mĕ-nyār´) a disorder of the inner ear, believed to result from dilation of the lymphatic channels in the cochlea, usually affecting only one ear. The usual symptoms are tinnitus, increased sensitivity to loud sounds, progressive hearing loss, headache, and vertigo. In the acute stage there may be severe nausea with...

meningeal
(mә-nin´je-әl) pertaining to the meninges.

meningeal carcinoma
primary or secondary carcinomatous infiltration of the meninges, particularly the pia and arachnoid.

meningeal veins
the veins following the distribution of the meningeal arteries, which drain the dura mater, communicate with the lateral lacunae, and empty into the regional sinuses and veins.

meningeorrhaphy
(mә-nin″je-or´ә-fe) suture of membranes, especially the meninges.

meninges
(mә-nin´jēz) sing., me´ninx the three membranes covering the brain and spinal cord: the dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater. adj., menin´geal., adj. Meninges, comprising the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater; shown in a cross-section of the spinal cord.

meningioma
(mә-nin″je-o´mә) a hard, usually vascular tumor occurring mainly along the meningeal vessels and superior longitudinal sinus; it invades the dura mater and leads to erosion and thinning of the skull, and often causes increased intracranial pressure. angioblastic meningioma ...

meningism
(mә-nin´jiz-әm) the symptoms and signs of meningitis associated with acute febrile illness or dehydration but without actual inflammation of the meninges.

meningitis
(men″in-ji´tis) pl. meningi´tides inflammation of the meninges, usually by either a bacterium (bacterial meningitis) or a virus (viral meningitis). When it affects the dura mater it is termed pachymeningitis; when the arachnoid and pia mater are involved, it is called leptomeningitis. The term meningitis does not refer t...

meningocele
(mә-ning´go-sēl″) hernial protrusion of meninges through a defect in the bony spine, usually from a neural tube defect. Cross-section of a spinal meningocele.

meningocerebritis
(mә-ning″go-ser″ә-bri´tis) inflammation of the brain and meninges.

meningococcal conjugate vaccine
a preparation of a capsular polysaccharide antigen of type A, C, Y, or W-135 Neisseria meningitidis, covalently bound to a nonpathogenic diphtheria protein, administered to children over six weeks old.

meningococcal meningitis
an acute type of bacterial meningitis caused by infection with Neisseria meningitidis. It usually appears in epidemics, and symptoms are those of acute cerebral and spinal meningitis, usually with seropurulent meningeal irritation and an eruption of red spots on the skin. A hemorrhagic complication that sometimes occurs is call...

meningococcal pneumonia
a rare type of bacterial pneumonia caused by the meningococcus(Neisseria meningitidis); many cases are subclinical, but some infections become overwhelming, with fever, pleural effusion, and even death. Called also Neisseria meningitidis pneumonia.

meningococcemia
(mә-ning″go-kok-se´me-ә) the presence of meningococci in the blood, producing an acute fulminating disease or an insidious disorder persisting for months or years. acute fulminating meningococcemia Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome.

meningococcus
(mә-ning″go-kok´әs) a microorganism of the species Neisseria meningitidis, the cause of some types of meningitis. adj., meningococ´cal., adj.

meningocortical
(mә-ning″go-kor´tĭ-kәl) pertaining to the meninges and cortex of the brain.

meningocyte
(mә-ning´go-sīt″) a histiocyte of the meninges.

meningoencephalitis
(mә-ning″go-әn-sef″ә-li´tis) inflammation of the brain and its meninges; called also encephalomeningitis. primary amebic meningoencephalitis a rare and often fatal acute, febrile, purulent meningoencephalitis caused by usually free-living soil and water ameba...

meningoencephalocele
(mә-ning″go-әn-sef´ә-lo-sēl″) encephalocele.

meningoencephalomyelitis
(mә-ning″go-әn-sef″ә-lo-mi″ә-li´tis) inflammation of the meninges, brain, and spinal cord.

meningoencephalopathy
(mә-ning″go-әn-sef″ә-lop´ә-the) noninflammatory disease of the cerebral meninges and brain.

meningogenic
(mә-ning″go-jen´ik) arising in the meninges.

meningogenic labyrinthitis
acute suppurative labyrinthitis that results from invasion of meningitis through an erosion of the temporal bone.

meningomalacia
(mә-ning″go-mә-la´shә) softening of a membrane.

meningomyelitis
(mә-ning″go-mi″ә-li´tis) inflammation of the spinal cord and its meninges.

meningomyelocele
(mә-ning″go-mi´ә-lo-sēl″) myelomeningocele.

meningomyeloradiculitis
(mә-ning″go-mi″ә-lo″rә-dik″u-li´tis) inflammation of the meninges, spinal cord, and spinal nerve roots.

meningopathy
(men″in-gop´ә-the) any disease of the meninges.

meningorachidian
(mә-ning″go-rә-kid´e-әn) pertaining to the spinal cord and meninges.

meningoradicular
(mә-ning″go-rә-dik´u-lәr) pertaining to the meninges and the cranial or spinal nerve roots.

meningoradiculitis
(mә-ning″go-rә-dik″u-li´tis) inflammation of the meninges and spinal nerve roots.

meningorrhagia
(mә-ning″go-ra´jә) hemorrhage from cerebral or spinal membranes.

meningorrhea
(mĕ-ning″go-re´ә) effusion of blood between or upon the meninges.

meningovascular neurosyphilis
meningovascular syphilis neurosyphilis at the stage of extensive meningeal involvement, secondarily investing and then occluding vessels in their course through the subarachnoid space, resulting in focal or widespread cerebrovascular disease.

meninx
(me´ninks) pl. menin´ges a membrane, especially one of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord; see dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater. adj., menin´geal., adj.

meniscectomy
(men″ĭ-sek´tә-me) excision of a meniscus, as of the knee joint.

meniscitis
(men″ĭ-si´tis) inflammation of a meniscus of the knee joint.

meniscofemoral ligaments
two small fibrous bands of the knee joint attached to the lateral meniscus, one (the anterior) extending to the anterior cruciate ligament and the other (the posterior) to the medial femoral condyle.

meniscosynovial
(mә-nis″ko-sә-no´ve-әl) pertaining to a meniscus and the synovial membrane.

meniscus
(mә-nis´kәs) the concave or convex surface of a column of liquid, as in a medication cup in anatomy, a crescent-shaped structure. It is often used alone to designate one of the crescent-shaped disks of fibrocartilage in the knee joint. adj., menis´cal., adj.

meniscus sign
the radioscopic appearance of a crescentic shadow made by the crater of a gastric ulcer: when the convexity of the crescent points outward the ulcer is on the lesser curvature; when the convexity points downward the ulcer is distal to the angular incisure. Called also Carman, Carman-Kirklin, or crescent sign.

Menkes syndrome
(meng´kәz) an inherited abnormality of copper absorption, caused by a recessive gene located on the X chromosome, that causes symptoms of copper poisoning in infancy; affected babies have sparse, brittle scalp hair, severe cerebral degeneration, and arterial changes, and usually die in infancy.

Mennell sign
an examining thumb is placed over the posterosuperior spine of the sacrum and then made to slide, first outward and then inward. If on pressure over the former point tenderness is detected, it is due to a sensitive deposit in the structures of the gluteal aspect of the posterosuperior spine. If the tenderness is over the ...

menolipsis
(men″ә-lip´sis) temporary cessation of menstruation.

menometrorrhagia
(men″o-met″ro-ra´jә) excessive uterine bleeding at and between menstrual periods.

menopausal arthritis
a condition sometimes seen in women at menopause, due to ovarian hormonal deficiency and marked by pain in the small joints, shoulders, elbows, or knees; called also arthropathia ovaripriva and climacteric arthritis.

menopause
(men´ә-pawz″) cessation of menstruation, defined as being when menstruation has not occurred for 6 to 12 months; in the human female this usually occurs around the age of 50. The climacteric is that phase of life during which a woman passes from the reproductive to the nonreproductive stage. adj., menopau´sa...

menorrhagia
(men″ә-ra´jә) hypermenorrhea.

menorrhalgia
(men″ә-ral´jә) dysmenorrhea.

menoschesis
(mә-nos´kә-sis) suppression of menstruation.

menostaxis
(men″ә-stak´sis) a prolonged menstrual period; see also hypermenorrhea.

menotropins
(men´o-tro″pinz) a purified preparation of gonadotropins extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women, containing follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone; used to treat male hypogonadism, to induce ovulation and pregnancy in certain infertile, anovulatory women, and to increase the numbers of oocytes fo...

menouria
(men″o-u´re-ә) the flowing of menstrual blood through a fistula into the bladder.

menses
(men´sēz) menstruation.

menstrual
(men´stroo-әl) pertaining to menstruation.

menstrual cycle
the regularly recurring physiologic changes in the endometrium that ends when it is ready to be shed (see menstruation). Menstrual cycles vary in length from 21 to 35 days, with the average being about 28 days. Women menstruate from puberty to menopause, except during pregnancy. The menstrual cycle is divided into the ovarian cycle, ...

menstrual extraction
a form of induced abortion in which a flexible cannula is inserted through an undilated cervix for the purpose of removing the fertilized embryo and endometrium. The cannula is attached to a syringe, which is used to aspirate the uterine contents and induce the onset of the “missed period.” This technique is n...

menstrual period
the time of menstruation.

menstrual phase
the phase of the human menstrual cycle that follows the luteal phase and occurs only if fertilization has not taken place. The corpus luteum regresses and is shed through menstruation and growth begins for the ovarian follicle, leading to the follicular phase.

menstruation
(men″stroo-a´shәn) the periodic discharge from the vagina of blood and tissues from a nonpregnant uterus; the culmination of the menstrual cycle. Menstruation occurs every 28 days or so between puberty and menopause, except during pregnancy, and the flow lasts about 5 days, the times varying from woman to woman. S...

menstruum
(men´stroo-әm) a solvent medium.

mensuration
(men″su-ra´shәn) the process of measuring.

mental
(men´tәl) pertaining to the mind. pertaining to the chin.

mental age
the age level of mental ability of a person as gauged by standard intelligence tests.

mental artery
the mental branch of the inferior alveolar artery, arising from the inferior alveolar artery in the mandibular canal, leaving the canal at the mental foramen, supplying the chin, and joining with its fellow of the opposite side and with the submental and inferior labial arteries.

mental blind spot
mental scotoma.

mental block
blocking (def. 3).

mental disease
mental disorder.

mental disorder
any clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome characterized by distressing symptoms, significant impairment of functioning, or significantly increased risk of death, pain, or other disability. Mental disorders are assumed to result from some behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the ind...

mental nerve
origin, inferior alveolar nerve; branches, mental, gingival, and inferior labial branches; distribution, skin of chin, and lower lip; modality, general sensory.

mental point
pogonion.