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

restiform
(res´tĭ-form) shaped like a rope.

resting cell
a cell that is not undergoing karyokinesis.

resting potential
resting membrane potential the difference in transmembrane potential of a cell when it is at rest (that is, fully repolarized). In cardiac physiology this occurs during electrical diastole in pacemaker cells and continuously in nonpacemaker cells.

resting state
the physiologic condition achieved by complete bed rest for at least 1 hour.

restitution
(res″tĭ-too´shәn) the spontaneous realignment of the fetal head with the fetal body, after delivery of the head.

restless legs syndrome
unpleasant deep discomfort inside the calves when sitting or lying down, especially just before sleep, producing an irresistible urge to move the legs.

restlessness
(rest´les-nes) an inability to achieve relaxation; a feeling of mild mental discomfort. Restlessness is frequently an early, subtle sign of a patient's deterioration.

restoration
(res″tә-ra´shәn) partial or complete reconstruction of a body part. the device used for such a reconstruction.

restorative
(rĕ-stor´ah-tiv) promoting a return to health or to consciousness. a remedy that aids in restoring health, vigor, or consciousness.

restorative care
the level of care in a health care system that consists of routine follow-up care and rehabilitation in facilities such as nursing homes, halfway houses, and inpatient facilities for alcohol and drug abusers, as well as in the homes of patients served by home health agencies.

restraint
(re-strānt´) the forcible confinement or control of a person, such as someone who is confused, disoriented, or psychotic; either physical or chemical means may be used. Restraint of any kind is used only when the patient's behavior presents a danger to himself or herself or another person.

restricted affect
reduction in the intensity of affect, to a somewhat lesser degree than is characteristic of blunted affect.

restriction
(re-strik´shәn) a limitation. something that limits. adj., restric´tive, adj. . fluid restriction the limitation of oral fluid intake to a prescribed amount for each 24-hour period; this is indicated for patients who have edema associated with a kidney disease ...

restriction point
a point late in the G1 phase of the cell cycle after which the cell is irreversibly committed to entering the S phase; faulty regulation of passage through the restriction point contributes to cell transformation and is a common cause of cancer.

restriction site
a base sequence in a DNA segment recognized by a particular restriction endonuclease.

restrictive cardiomyopathy
a form in which the ventricular walls are excessively rigid, impeding ventricular filling; it is marked by abnormal diastolic function but normal or nearly normal systolic function.

restrictive lung disease
a general term comprising pulmonary diseases characterized by decreased total lung capacity, including those caused by disorders affecting the chest wall (e.g., poliomyelitis and scoliosis), and those caused by infiltrative interstitial diseases, such as adult respiratory distress syndrome.

resurrection bone
sacrum.

resuscitator
(re-sus´ĭ-ta″tәr) an apparatus for initiating respiration in persons whose breathing has stopped.

retained testis
undescended testis.

retainer
(re-ta´nәr) an appliance or device that keeps a tooth or partial denture in proper position. matrix retainer a mechanical device that clamps the ends of a matrix band and tightens it around a tooth. Tofflemire retainer a type of matrix retainer.

retardation
(re″tahr-da´shәn) delay; hindrance; delayed development. fetal growth retardation , intrauterine growth retardationIUGR birth weight below the tenth percentile for gestational age for infants in a given population; classified as symmetric or proportionate (bot...

retarded depression
major depressive disorder with psychomotor retardation.

retching
(rech´ing) a strong involuntary effort to vomit.

rete
(re´te) Latin word meaning network or plexus.

rete arteriosum
(re´te ahr-te″re-o´sәm) arterial network.

rete lymphocapillare
(re´te lim″fo-kap″ĭ-lar´e) any of the closed, freely communicating networks formed by the lymphocapillary vessels.

rete mirabile
(re´te mĭ-rab´ĭle) a vascular network formed by division of an artery or vein into many smaller vessels that reunite into a single vessel; in the human this occurs only in the arterioles that supply the glomeruli of the kidney.

rete ridges
inward projections of the epidermis into the dermis at the dermoepidermal junction, as seen histologically in vertical sections. Called also rete pegs.

rete testis
(re´te tes´tis) the network of channels formed in the mediastinum of the testis by the seminiferous tubules.

rete venosum
(re´te ve-no´sәm) venous network.

retention
(re-ten´shәn) the process of holding back or keeping in a position. persistence in the body of material normally excreted, such as from the bowel or bladder. urinary retention , retention of urine accumulation of urine within the bladder because of ina...

retention cyst
a tumorlike accumulation of a secretion formed when the outlet of a secreting gland is obstructed. These cysts may develop in any of the secretory glands, such as the breast, pancreas, kidney, salivary or sebaceous glands, or mucous membranes.

retention jaundice
a type due to inability of the liver to dispose of the bilirubin provided by the circulating blood.

retention polyps
juvenile polyps.

retention suture
a reinforcing suture made of exceptionally strong material such as wire, and including large amounts of tissue in each stitch. Used to relieve pressure on the primary suture line and to decrease the potential for wound dehiscence.

reteplase
(ret´ә-plās) a recombinant form of tissue plasminogen activator; used intravenously as a thrombolytic agent in treatment of myocardial infarction.

reticular
(rә-tik´u-lәr) resembling a net.

reticular activating system
(RAS) the system of cells of the reticular formation of the medulla oblongata that receive collaterals from the ascending sensory pathways and project to higher centers; they control the overall degree of central nervous system activity, including wakefulness, attentiveness, and sleep.

reticular cartilage
elastic cartilage.

reticular cells
the cells forming the reticular fibers of connective tissue; those forming the framework of lymph nodes, bone marrow, and spleen form part of the reticuloendothelial system and may differentiate into macrophages.

reticular fibers
immature connective tissue fibers, staining with silver, forming the reticular framework of lymphoid and myeloid tissue, and occurring in interstitial tissue of glandular organs, the papillary layer of the skin, and elsewhere.

reticular lamina
a layer of the basement membrane, adjacent to the connective tissue, seen in some epithelia; it is of variable thickness and is composed of condensed connective tissue with a reticulum of collagen fibers.

reticular tissue
reticulated tissue connective tissue composed predominantly of reticular cells and reticular fibers.

reticulate body
the noninfectious intracellular form of Chlamydia and related bacteria. It consists of fibrillar nuclear material and more ribosomes than occur in elementary bodies, surrounded by a thin wall. Reticulate bodies reproduce within vacuoles in the host cell. After reproduction, reticulate bodies condense into elementary bodies, whi...

reticulate cell
the larger of the two morphological forms of bacteria of the family Anaplasmataceae, characterized by a homogeneous loose matrix of chromatin strands, seen predominantly in vivo. Cf dense-core cell.

reticulated
(rә-tik´u-lāt″әd) reticular.

reticulation
(rә-tik″u-la´shәn) the formation or presence of a network.

reticulin
(rә-tik´u-lin) a scleroprotein present in the connective fibers of reticular tissue, closely related to collagen in composition.

reticulocyte
(rә-tik´u-lo-sīt″) a young erythrocyte showing a basophilic reticulum under vital staining.

reticulocyte count
a calculation of the number of reticulocytes in 1 cu mm of peripheral blood, recorded either as an absolute number or as the percentage of the erythrocyte count. It provides a means of assessing the erythropoietic activity of the bone marrow.

reticulocyte response
increase in the formation of reticulocytes in response to a bone marrow stimulus.

reticulocytopenia
(rә-tik″u-lo-si″to-pe´ne-ә) a deficiency of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood.

reticulocytosis
(rә-tik″u-lo-si-to´sis) an excess of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood.

reticuloendothelial
(rә-tik″u-lo-en″do-the´le-әl) pertaining to the reticuloendothelium or to the reticuloendothelial system.

reticuloendothelial cell
a cell of the reticuloendothelial system.

reticuloendothelial system
a network of cells and tissues found throughout the body, especially in the blood, general connective tissue, spleen, liver, lungs, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. They have both endothelial and reticular attributes and can take up colloidal dye particles. Some of the reticuloendothelial cells found in the blood and general connective ...

reticuloendotheliosis
(rә-tik″u-lo-en″do-the-le-o´sis) overgrowth of tissues of the reticuloendothelial system.

reticuloendothelium
(rә-tik″u-lo-en″do-the´le-әm) the tissue of the reticuloendothelial system.

reticulohistiocytic granuloma
a solitary reticulohistiocytoma, seen mainly in men without systemic involvement.

reticulohistiocytoma
(re-tik″u-lo-his″te-o-si-to´mә) a granulomatous aggregation of lipid-laden histiocytes and multinucleated giant cells.

reticulohistiocytosis
(rә-tik″u-lo-his″te-o-si-to´sis) formation of multiple reticulohistiocytomas. Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis is a condition seen mainly in women, characterized by polyarthritis with nodular swellings on the hands and large joints; it sometimes progresses to multiple organ failure that can be fatal....

reticulopenia
(rә-tik″u-lo-pe´ne-ә) reticulocytopenia.

reticulosis
(rә-tik″u-lo´sis) an abnormal increase in cells derived from or related to the reticuloendothelial cells. familial histiocytic reticulosis , histiocytic medullary reticulosis a hereditary disorder, usually fatal in infancy, marked by anemia, granulocytopenia, ...

reticulum
(rә-tik´u-lәm) a small network, especially a protoplasmic network in cells. reticular tissue. endoplasmic reticulum an ultramicroscopic organelle of nearly all higher plant and animal cells, consisting of a system of membrane-bound cavities in the cytopl...

reticulum cell sarcoma
histiocytic lymphoma.

reticulum cells
reticular cells.

retiform
(re´tĭ-form) (ret´ĭ-form) plexiform.

retina
(ret´ĭ-nә) the innermost of the three tunics of the eye, surrounding the vitreous body and continuous at the back with the optic nerve. The retina is composed of light-sensitive neurons arranged in three layers; the first layer is made up of visual cells called rods and cones, and the other two layers transmit impu...

retinaculum
(ret″ĭ-nak´u-lәm) a structure that retains an organ or tissue in place. flexor retinaculum of hand a fibrous band forming the carpal tunnel, through which pass the tendons of the flexor muscles of the hand and fingers. retinaculum tendinum ...

retinal
(ret´ĭ-nәl) pertaining to the retina. the aldehyde of retinol, having vitamin A activity. One isomer (11-cis-retinal) combines with opsin in the retinal rods (scotopsin) to form rhodopsin, or visual purple; another, all-trans-retinal, or visual yellow, results from the bleaching of rhodopsin by light,...

retinal anlage tumor
melanotic neuroectodermal tumor.

retinal cone
one of two types of visual cells in the retina, tapering to a point at their outer end. Together with the retinal rods, they form the light-sensitive elements of the eye. The cones make possible the perception of color. Theyare stimulated by light and transmit impulses to the brain. It is thought that there are three types of c...

retinal dysplasia
a general term for a congenital defect resulting from the abnormal growth and differentiation of a retina that fails to develop into functioning tissue.

retinal pigments
the photopigments in retinal rods and cones that respond to certain colors of light and initiate the process of vision.

retinitis
(ret″ĭ-ni´tis) inflammation of the retina.

retinitis circinata
(ret″ĭ-ni´tis sur″sĭ-na´tә) circinate retinopathy.

retinitis pigmentosa
(ret″ĭ-ni´tis ) a group of diseases, frequently hereditary, marked by progressive loss of retinal response (as recorded by the electroretinograph), retinal atrophy, attenuation of retinal vessels, and clumping of the pigment, with contraction of the field of vision. Different varieties may be hereditary in do...

retinitis proliferans
(ret″ĭ-ni´tis pro-lif´әr-anz) a condition that may result from intraocular hemorrhage, with neovascularization and the formation of fibrous bands extending into the vitreous from the retina; retinal detachment may result.

retinoblastoma
(ret″ĭ-no-blas-to´mә) a malignant congenital hereditary blastoma composed of retinal cells arising from the nuclear layers, appearing in one or both eyes in children under 5 years of age; it is usually first diagnosed because of the presence of a bright white or yellow pupillary reflex (leukokoria).

retinochoroiditis
(ret″ĭ-no-kor-oi-di´tis) inflammation of the retina and choroid. retinochoroiditis juxtapapillaris a small area of inflammation on the fundus of the eye near the papilla; seen in young healthy individuals.

retinoic acid
(ret″ĭ-no´ik) an oxidized derivative of retinol, believed to be the form of vitamin A that plays a role in the development and growth of bone and in the maintenance of normal epithelial structures. The all-trans isomer is called tretinoin and used as a keratolytic and antineoplastic agent. The 13-cis isomer i...

retinoid
(ret´ĭ-noid) resembling the retina. retinal, retinol, or any structurally similar natural derivative or synthetic compound, with or without vitamin A activity.

retinol
(ret´ĭ-nol) >vitamin A1, the form of vitamin A found in mammals; it is reversibly dehydrogenated by enzymaticaction into its aldehyde, retinal.

retinol binding protein
(RBP) an α-globulin synthesized and secreted by the liver. It binds retinol and transthyretin in a 1:1:1 ratio; the complex solubilizes retinol and protects it from glomerular filtration and renal excretion while transporting it to the peripheral tissues.

retinomalacia
(ret″ĭ-no-mә-la´shә) softening of the retina.

retinopapillitis
(ret″ĭ-no-pap″ĭ-li´tis) inflammation of retina and optic disk (papilla).

retinopathy
(ret″ĭ-nop´ә-the) any noninflammatory disease of the retina.

retinopathy of prematurity
a disease of the developing retinal blood vessels of the premature infant; the more premature the infant is, the greater the possibility is that this will happen. The cause is vasoconstriction of retinal capillaries due to the presence of very high concentrations of oxygen in them, which produces an overgrowth of retinal blood ...

retinopexy
(ret´ĭ-no-pek″se) restoring of the retina to its proper anatomical location. pneumatic retinopexy a treatment for retinal detachment involving injection of gas into the posterior vitreous cavity in such a way that the gas bubble presses against the area of torn retina,...

retinoschisis
(ret″ĭ-nos´kĭ-sis) splitting of the retina, occurring in the nerve fiber layer (in juvenile form), or in the external plexiform layer (in adult form).

retinoscope
(ret´ĭ-no-skōp″) skiascope; an instrument used in retinoscopy.

retinoscopy
(ret″ĭ-nos´kә-pe) an objective method of investigating, diagnosing, and evaluating refractive errors of the eye, by projection of a beam of light into the eye and observation of the movement of the illuminated area on the retinal surface and of the refraction by the eye of the emergent rays. Calle...

retinosis
(ret″ĭ-no´sis) any degenerative, noninflammatory condition of the retina.

retinotopic
(ret″ĭ-no-top´ik) relating to the organization of the visual pathways and visual area of the brain.

retothelium
(re″to-the´le-әm) reticuloendothelium.

retractile
(re-trak´til) able to be drawn back.

retractile testis
a testis that can descend fully into the scrotum but moves freely up into the inguinal canal.

retraction
(re-trak´shәn) the act of drawing back, or condition of being drawn back. clot retraction the drawing away of a blood clot from the wall of a vessel, a stage of wound healing caused by contraction of platelets; it is a function of blood platelets that can be tested to asses...

retraction nystagmus
a spasmodic backward movement of the eyeball occurring on attempts to move the eye; a sign of midbrain disease.