Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

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

microscopic anatomy
histology.

microscopist
(mi-kros´kә-pist) a person skilled in using the microscope.

microscopy
(mi-kros´kә-pe) examination with a microscope. fluorescence microscopy see fluorescence microscopy.

microsecond
(μs) (mi´kro-sek″әnd) one millionth (10−6) of a second.

microshock
(mi´kro-shok″) a small electric shock resulting from current that has passed directly into the cardiac tissue from an electrode in contact with it; in this situation extremely small amounts of current may produce fibrillation.

microsome
(mi´kro-sōm″) any of the vesicular fragments of endoplasmic reticulum produced during disruption and centrifugation of cells. adj., microso´mal., adj.

microsomia
(mi″kro-so´me-ә) abnormally small size of the body.

microspectroscope
(mi″kro-spek´trә-skōp) a spectroscope and microscope combined.

microspherocyte
(mi″kro-sfe´ro-sīt) an erythrocyte whose diameter is less than normal, but whose thickness is increased.

microspherocytosis
(mi″kro-sfe″ro-si-to´sis) the presence in the blood of an excessive number of microspherocytes.

microsphygmia
(mi″kro-sfig´me-ә) that condition of the pulse in which it is perceived with difficulty by the finger.

microsplenia
(mi″kro-sple´ne-ә) smallness of the spleen.

microspore mother cell
any of the diploid cells with large nuclei developed in the microsporangium of plants which divide by meiosis to produce four haploid microspores.

Microsporum
(mi-kros´pә-rәm) a genus of fungi that cause diseases of the skin and hair such as tinea capitis and tinea corporis. Species include M. audoui´nii, M. ca´nis (M. lano´sum), and M. ful´vum (M. gyp´seum).

Microstix-3
(mi´kro-stiks) trademark for a reagent strip with a chemical test area for recognition of nitrite in urine that turns pink on contact with nitrate, and two culture areas for semiquantification of bacterial growth after 18 to 24 hours of incubation; one culture area supports both gram-negative and gram-positive org...

microstomia
(mi″kro-sto´me-ә) abnormally decreased size of the mouth.

microsurgery
(mi´kro-sur″jәr-e) dissection of tiny structures under the microscope with the use of extremely small instruments held in the hand, such as for the ear, larynx, or microvasculature; see also microneurosurgery.

microsyringe
(mi″kro-sә-rinj´) a syringe fitted with a screw-threaded micrometer for accurate measurement of minute quantities.

microtia
(mi-kro´shә) abnormal smallness of the pinna of the ear.

microtiter
(mi″kro-ti´tәr) a titer of minute quantity.

microtome
(mi´kro-tōm) an instrument for making thin sections for microscopic study. freezing microtome one for cutting frozen tissues. rotary microtome one in which wheel action is translated into a back-and-forth movement of the specimen being sectioned. ...

microtomy
(mi-krot´ә-me) the cutting of thin sections.

microtrauma
(mi″kro-traw´mә) a microscopic lesion or injury.

microtubule
(mi″kro-too´būl) any of the slender, tubular structures, composed chiefly of tubulin, found in the cytoplasmic ground substance of nearly all cells; they are involved in maintenance of cell shape and in the movements of organelles and inclusions, and form the spindle fibers of mitosis. ...

microtubule-associated protein
(MAP) any of a large family of proteins that regulate microtubule assembly and structure; the number and kinds of MAPs vary by cell type and are determined genetically.

microvascular decompression
a microsurgical procedure for relief of trigeminal neuralgia.

microvasculature
(mi″kro-vas´ku-lә-chәr) the finer vessels of the body, such as the arterioles, capillaries, and venules. adj., microvas´cular., adj.

microvillus
(mi″kro-vil´әs) a minute process or protrusion from the free surface of a cell, found especially in the proximal convolution of renal tubules and the intestinal epithelium.

microvillus inclusion disease
a rare intestinal disorder, thought to be hereditary and autosomal recessive; infants have severe watery diarrhea with malabsorption of nutrients owing to incomplete development of intestinal villi. The condition is fatal unless the infant is given total parenteral nutrition. Cf. congenital microvillus atrophy.

microvolt
(μV) (mi´kro-volt) one millionth (10−6) of a volt.

microwave
(mi´kro-wāv) a wave typical of electromagnetic radiation between far infrared and radio waves.

micrurgy
(mi´krәr-je) manipulative technique in the field of a microscope. adj., micrur´gic., adj.

Micruroides
(mi″kroo-roi´dēz) a genus of venomous coral snakes found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. See also snakebite.

Micrurus
(mi-kroo´rәs) a genus of venomous coral snakes, including a species found in the southeastern United States and south into Central America. See also snakebite.

micturate
(mik´tu-rāt) urinate.

micturition
(mik″tu-rĭ´shәn) urination.

micturition bag
a receptacle used for urine by ambulatory patients with urinary incontinence.

micturition centers
two nerve centers that control the bladder and inhibit the tension of the internal and external urethral sphincters; one is in the pons and the other is in the lumbar enlargement.

micturition reflex
any of the reflexes necessary for effortless urination and subconscious maintenance of continence.

Midamor
(mi´dә-mor) trademark for a preparation of amiloride hydrochloride; a potassium sparing diuretic.

MIDAS syndrome
MLS syndrome.

midazolam
(mid´a-zo-lam″) a sedative of the benzodiazepine class used in the induction of anesthesia.

midbrain
(mid´brān″) mesencephalon.

middle cardiac nerve
middle cervical cardiac nerve.

middle cardiac vein
a vein that collects blood from the diaphragmatic surface of the ventricles, follows the posterior longitudinal sulcus, and empties into the coronary sinus.

middle cerebellar peduncle
a large bundle of projection fibers originating in the contralateral pontine nuclei and entering the cerebellum, conveying impulses from the cerebral cortex to the neocerebellum.

middle cerebral artery
origin, internal carotid; branches, (first or sphenoidal part) anterolateral central, polar temporal, and anterior temporal arteries; (second or insular part) insular arteries; (third part or inferior terminal branches) anterior temporal, middle temporal, posterior temporal, and temporo-occipital branches, and branch to angular gyrus...

middle cervical cardiac nerve
origin, middle cervical ganglion; distribution, heart; modality, sympathetic (accelerator) and visceral afferent (chiefly pain).

middle cluneal nerves
general sensory nerve branches of the plexus formed by the lateral branches of posterior rami of the first four sacral nerves, innervating ligaments of the sacrum and the skin over the posterior buttocks.

middle colic artery
origin, superior mesenteric artery; branches, none; distribution, transverse colon.

middle colic vein
a vein that follows the path of the middle colic artery and empties into the superior mesenteric vein.

middle collateral artery
origin, profunda brachii artery; branches, none; distribution, triceps muscle, elbow joint.

middle ear
the second part of the ear, separated from the outer ear by the tympanic membrane (eardrum) . It contains the three ossicles, the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup), so called because of their resemblance to these objects. These three small bones form a chain across the middle ear from the eardrum to the oval...

middle genicular artery
origin, popliteal artery; branches, none; distribution, knee joint, cruciate ligaments, patellar synovial and alar folds.

middle hepatic vein
the large hepatic vein that drains the central veins in the middle part of the liver and empties into the inferior vena cava.

middle lacerate foramen
foramen lacerum.

middle lobar artery
the branch of the right pulmonary artery that carries blood to the middle lobe of the right lung, giving rise to the lateral and medial segmental arteries.

middle lobe syndrome
lobar atelectasis in the right middle lobe of the lung, with chronic pneumonitis; called also Brock syndrome.

middle lobe vein
a vein draining the middle lobe of the right lung and emptying into the right superior pulmonary vein.

middle meningeal artery
origin, maxillary artery; branches, frontal, parietal, and lacrimal anastomotic, accessory meningeal, and petrosal branches, and superior tympanic artery; distribution, cranial bones, dura mater.

middle meningeal veins
veins following the path of the middle meningeal artery, which end in the pterygoid venous plexus.

middle nasal meatus
the space beneath the middle nasal concha, with which the anterior ethmoidal cells and frontal and maxillary sinuses communicate.

middle rectal artery
origin, internal iliac artery; branches, vaginal; distribution, rectum, prostate, seminal vesicles, vagina.

middle rectal veins
veins that drain the rectal plexus and empty into the internal iliac and superior rectal veins.

middle scalene muscle
origin, transverse processes of second to seventh cervical vertebrae and often atlas; insertion, upper surface of first rib; innervation, third to eighth cervical nerves; action, raises first rib, flexes cervical vertebrae forward and laterally and rotates to opposite side.

middle supraclavicular nerves
intermediate supraclavicular nerves.

middle suprarenal artery
origin, abdominal aorta; branches, none; distribution, suprarenal gland.

middle temporal artery
origin, superficial temporal artery; branches, none; distribution temporal region. the middle temporal branch of the middle cerebral artery, arising from the inferior terminal branch of the middle cerebral artery and supplying the lateral surface of the temporal lobe between the anterior and posterior branches.

middle temporal vein
a vein that arises in the substance of the temporalis muscle and passes down under the fascia to the zygoma, where it breaks through to join the superficial temporal vein.

middle thyroid veins
veins that drain blood from the thyroid gland into the internal jugular vein.

midgut
(mid´gut″) the region of the embryonic digestive tube into which the yolk sac opens; ahead of it is the foregut and caudal to it is the hindgut.

midline
(mid´līn) the imaginary line that divides the body into right and left halves.

midline granuloma
lethal midline granuloma.

midline incision
see illustration.

midodrine
(mi´do-drēn″) a vasopressor used as the hydrochloride salt in treatment of orthostatic hypotension; administered orally.

midwife
(mid´wīf″) a person who assists at childbirth but who is not a physician.

midwifery
(mid´wif-re) (mid´wi-fәr-e) the practice of assisting at childbirth.

MIF
(mif) migration inhibition factor; migration inhibitory factor.

MIF test
migration inhibitory factor test.

mifepristone
(mif″ә-pris´tōn) an antiprogestin used with misoprostol or other prostaglandin to terminate pregnancy in the first trimester; administered orally. Called also RU-486.

miglitol
(mig´lĭ-tol) an antidiabetic agent that by inhibiting α-glucosidases of the intestinal brush border delays the breakdown of ingested sugars, slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream and reducing postprandial hyperglycemia; used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, administered orally.

migraine
(mi´grān) a headache, usually severe, often limited to one side of the head, and sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting. There is a tendency for migraines to run in families. adj., mi´grainous., adj. abdominal migraine migraine in which abdominal symptoms are pro...

migraine headache
migraine.

migration inhibition factor
migration inhibitory factor a lymphokine that inhibits macrophage migration.

migration inhibitory factor test
an in vitro test for the production of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) by lymphocytes in response to specific antigens; used for evaluation of cell-mediated immunity. MIF production is absent in certain immunodeficiency disorders, such as Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and Hodgkin disease. Called also MIF test.

migratory pneumonia
pneumonia that spreads from one lobe of the lung to others; called also wandering pneumonia.

Mikulicz cell
a type of cell found in rhinoscleroma, being the one containing the bacillus of the disease; called also foam cell.

Mikulicz disease
(mik´u-lich″ez) originally, a chronic, benign, and usually painless inflammatory swelling of the lacrimal and salivary glands; some authorities have broadened the entity to include lacrimal and salivary gland enlargement associated with other diseases, such as Sjögren syndrome, sarcoidosis, lupus erythematosus, le...

Mikulicz operation
Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty. Vladimiroff-Mikulicz amputation.

Mikulicz syndrome
(me´koo-lich″) a chronic bilateral hypertrophy of the lacrimal, parotid, and salivary glands, associated with decreased or absent lacrimation and xerostomia, and often accompanied by chronic lymphocytic infiltration. It may be associated with other diseases, such as Sjögren syndrome, sarcoidosis, lupus eryth...

mild hypothermia
that in which core body temperature is between 33° and 35°C (91.4° and 95°F).

mild silver protein
see silver protein.

Miles operation
surgical treatment for cancer of the lower sigmoid and rectum, with removal of the pelvic colon, mesocolon, and adjacent lymph nodes, and wide perineal excision of the rectum and anus, and a permanent colostomy.

miliaria
(mil″e-ar´e-ә) a skin condition associated with obstruction of sweat ducts, resulting in sweat retention, rupture of ducts below the level of the obstruction, and extravasation of sweat within the skin. The three most common types are miliaria crystallina, miliaria rubra, and miliaria profunda, distinguished...

miliary
(mil´e-ar-e) like millet seeds. characterized by the formation of lesions resembling millet seeds.

miliary abscess
one composed of numerous small collections of pus.

miliary aneurysm
aneurysm of a tiny artery, usually in the retina or inside the skull.

miliary tubercle
one of the many minute tubercles formed in many organs in acute miliary tuberculosis.

miliary tuberculosis
an acute form in which tiny tubercles are formed in a number of organs of the body after dissemination of bacilli throughout the body by the bloodstream.

milieu
(mēl-yoo´) French word meaning surroundings, or environment. milieu extérieur (me-lyuh´ ek-sta″re-ur´) external environment. milieu intérieur (me-lyuh´ an-ta″re-ur´) internal environment; the bl...