Consolidated Index (A-Z)

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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

A

ABC model of the control of flowering
ABC transporter
ABL gene
ABO blood groups
ABP1 (Auxin-binding protein 1)
Abscisic acid (ABA)
Abscission
Absorption spectrum
Abyssal plain
ACE inhibitors
Acetylcholine
[at neuromuscular junction]
Acetyl-CoA
Acid
Acid rain
Acrosome
ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone)
Actin filaments
[Discussion] [in cytokinesis] [in skeletal muscle]
Actinomycetes
Action potential
[in muscle fiber]
Action spectrum
Active transport
Activins
[in embryonic development] [sex hormones]
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
Adaptation
[of sense receptors] [evolutionary]
Adaptive radiation
Addison's disease
Adenine
Adeno-associated virus (AAV).
as vector for somatic gene therapy
Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) gene
Adenosine deaminase (ADA)
and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)
Adenoviruses
Adenylyl cyclase
[and odorant receptors]
ADH, the antidiuretic hormone (also known as vasopressin
Adherens junctions
Adhesion
Force of attraction between unlike molecules.
Adipose tissue (fat)
[more] [secretion of leptin by]
Adjuvant
Adrenal glands, hormones of
Adrenaline
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Advanced waste treatment
Adventitious root
Root that arises from a stem or leaf.
Aequorin
Aerobic
Requiring the presence of free oxygen.
Affinity
[antibody] [maturation]
Afrotheria
AGAMOUS (AG)
Agent Orange
Aging
Agnatha
Agonist
Drug that mimics the action of another.[Example]
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
AID (Activation-Induced cytidine Deaminase)
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
Air
[composition of] [pollution]
Alanine
Alcohols
Aldehydes
Aldosterone
Algae
[Brown] [Green] [Golden] [Red] [culture medium for]
ALH84001 (Martian meteorite)
Alkylation
Addition of a carbon-containing group, such as a methyl or ethyl group, to another molecule.
Allantois
Allele
Alternative version of a gene. [in Mendel's peas] [in a three-point cross] [RFLPs] [hemoglobin beta chain] [and protein polymorphisms]
Allergen
An antigen that provokes an allergic response.
Allergy
Allograft
Allopatric speciation
Allosteric
Refers to a change in the properties (usually including shape) of a protein following the binding of another molecule to the protein. [Example]
Allozyme
Alpha1-Antitrypsin
[deficiency ] [synthesis by transgenic sheep] [and emphysema]
Alpha helix
Alpha motor neurons
Alport's syndrome
Alternation of generations
[Discussion] [in ferns] [in mosses]
Alternative splicing
Alu element
Aluminum
Alvarez, L.
Alveolates
Alveoli
Alzheimer's disease
Ames Test
Amfor gene
Amides
Amines
Amino acids
Aminoglycosides
Aminopeptidase
Amino terminal
AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia)
Ammonia
[in nitrogen cycle] [in urea cycle]
Amniocentesis
Amnion
[in humans]
Amniota
AMPA receptors
Amphetamines
Amphibians
Amphineura
Amphioxus
Amphiphilic
Used to describe molecules containing both polar (hydrophilic) and apolar (hydrophobic) groups. Sodium stearate (a soap) is amphiphilic.
Amygdala
Amylase
[pancreatic amylase]
Amylin
Amyloid
Amylopectin
Amylose
Anabolic steroid
Anabolism
Anaerobic
Not requiring the presence of free oxygen.
Analgesics
Analogous
Of structures (e.g., molecules, organs) in different species having similar function(s) but inherited from different precursors.
Anaphase
[in mitosis] [in meiosis]
Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C)
Anaphylaxis
[local] [systemic]
Androgen
Anemia
[immune hemolytic] [pernicious] [sickle-cell]
Anesthetic
Aneuploid
Having one or more extra (or fewer) chromosomes than the normal diploid (2n) set (e.g., 2n+1, 2n-1). [trisomy 21] [X chromosomes]
Angelman syndrome
Angiogenesis
Angiosperms
[life cycle] [evolutionary relationships]
Angiotensin
Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)
Angstrom (Å)
Animal
[cells] [invertebrate] [tissues] [vertebrate]
Aniridia gene
Annelida
ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide)
Antennapedia (Antp)
[encoded homeodomain]
Antenna pigments
Anther
Antheridia
[in ferns] [in mosses]
Anthozoa
Anthrax
[how its toxin works]
Antibiotics
Antibody
[structures] [classes] [how their diversity is created] [affinity] [binding to antigen] [specificity]
Anticodon
Antidepressant drugs
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Antigenic determinant
A part of an antigen to which the antibody binds. Also called an epitope. [View]
Antigenic drift of influenza viruses
Antigen presentation
Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs)
Antigen receptors on B and T cells
Antimicrobial peptides
Antioxidants
Antiport pump.
Antisense strand
The strand of DNA used as the template for synthesizing RNA. [More] [Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs)] [Antisense RNA]
Antiserum
Serum containing induced antibodies. [Example]
Antithrombin III
Antithymocyte globulin (ATG)
Antitoxin
Aorta
APC gene
APETALA
Apical dominance
Apicomplexa
Apicoplast
Apis mellifera, the honeybee
[life history] [communication]
Aplysia
Apolipoprotein B
[and cholesterol metabolism] [and RNA editing]
Apomixis
Apomorphic
Apoplast
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death. [Discussion]
Aposematic coloration
Appetite, control of
Aquaporin
Aqueous humor
Aquifer
A layer in the earth that is saturated with water.
Arabidopsis thaliana
Arachidonic acid
Arachnida
Archaea
Archegonia
[in ferns] [in mosses]
Archenteron
ARF1 (Auxin response factor 1)
Arginine
[substrate for NO synthases]
Arrestins
Arteries and Arterioles
Arteriosclerosis
Arthropods
Ascidians
Ascomycetes
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
Ascus
Asexual reproduction
Asparagine
Aspartic acid
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Association constant (K)
Assortative mating
Asthma
Ataxia telangiectasia
[ATM gene] [and aging]
Atherosclerosis
[and cholesterol]
Atom
Atomic number
Atomic weight unit
One-twelfth the weight of an atom of carbon-12. Also called the dalton. [More]
Atopy
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
[structure][yield in cellular respiration]
ATP-binding cassette
ATP synthase
[in photosynthesis] [in mitochondria]
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)
Atrio-ventricular (A-V) node
Atrium
Australopithecus afarensis
Autocrine
Refers to the influence on a cell of molecules synthesized by the same cell. [More]
Autoimmune disease
Disease characterized by the mounting of an immune response against constituents of an individual's own tissues. Some examples: [Goodpasture's Syndrome] [Type 1 diabetes mellitus] [Immune hemolytic anemia] [Immune thrombocytopenic purpura] [Myasthenia gravis (MG)] [Multiple sclerosis (MS)] [Rheumatoid arthritis] [Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)] [Thyrotoxicosis (Graves' disease)]
Autonomic nervous system
Autophagy
Autoradiography
Autosome
Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.
Autotrophic
Capable of synthesizing organic molecules from inorganic raw materials.
Auxin
[actions] [and tropisms] [differential action on roots and shoots]
Avena test
Avery, O. T.
Avogadro's number
Axial element
Axon
[axon hillock]
Azathioprine
AZT
Azidodeoxythymidine. Also called zidovudine.

B

B7
Refers to 2 similar transmembrane molecules (B7.1 & B7.2) that are expressed at the surface of antigen-presenting cells. B7.1 is also known as CD80; B7.2 as CD86. [View]
Bacillus
[anthracis] [subtilis] [thuringiensis]
Bacteria
[Descriptions of the "true" bacteria (Eubacteria)]
Bacteriophage
Virus that infects bacteria. [lambda] [phiX-174] [T2] [T4]
Bacteroidetes
Balanced polymorphism
Barbiturate
Barcoding
Barr body
Base
Molecule or ion that can take a proton from an acid. [Discussion]
Base Excision Repair (BER) of DNA
Base pairing of DNA
Basidiomycetes
Basophil
Bats, echo location in
Bax
B cell
A lymphocyte that synthesizes antibodies. Antibody-secreting cells, called plasma cells, are derived from B cells. [Discussion] [interaction with helper T cells] [how antibody diversity is generated]
BCL-2
[Role in apoptosis]
BCR
(the oncogene)
BCR
B-cell receptor for antigen [Discussion] [how its diversity is generated]
Beadle, G. W.
Behavior
[Innate] [Learned] [Group]
Benthos
Benzer, S.
Benzodiazepines
Beta-carotene
Beta conformation (in protein)
Beta-galactosidase
An enzyme (e.g., "lactase") that hydrolyzes the disaccharide lactose and related molecules. [synthesis by Z gene of lac operon]
Beta-2 microglobulin
bicoid (bcd)
Drosophila selector gene. [encoded homeodomain] [in segmentation] [role in forming the head]
Bilaterians
Bile acids
Bioassay
Quantitative determination of the concentration of a biologically active substance from its effect on a living tissue. [Example]
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
Bioluminescence
Biological Control of Pests
Biomagnification, of pesticides
Biomass
The total amount of living matter in a given population or community.
Biomes
Biosphere
The part of our planet in which life exists and with which it exchanges materials. Includes a small part of the lithosphere (the solid earth) and large parts of the hydrosphere (water) and atmosphere.
Bipolar cells of human retina
Birds
Birth control
Birth, human
Biston betularia
Bivalent
Bivalvia
Blastema
Blastocyst
The blastula formed by placental mammals. The blastocyst is the embryonic stage that implants in the wall of the uterus. [human]
Blastula
Early stage of animal development in which a single (usually) layer of cells surrounds a fluid-filled cavity (the blastocoel), thus forming a hollow ball. [frog]
Blind spot on human retina
Blood
[general discussion] [clotting] [blood groups] [blood pressure]
Blood-brain barrier
Blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria)
Bmal1 gene
BNP (brain natriuretic peptide)
Bond energy
Bonds
[covalent] [ionic] [polar covalent] [noncovalent]
Bone
Bone marrow
[transplants of]
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs)
[in embryonic development]
Botany
The study of plants.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
Boysen-Jensen
BRAF
Brain, human
Branchial grooves
Brassinosteroids
BRCA1 and BRCA2
Breathing
[control of] [in insects]
Bristol's Medium
Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk)
Bryophyta
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)
Budding
Asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth of a single parent. [Example]
Burkitt's lymphoma

C

C4 plants
Cadherins
Caenorhabditis elegans
[ general discussion ] [genome] [germline vs somatic cells]
Calciferol
Calcineurin (calcium-calmodulin-dependent phosphatase)
Calcitonin
Calcitriol
Calcium
[in nutrition] [RDA] [homeostatic regulation of] [as "intracellular messenger"]
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.
Calorie Restriction (CR)
Calvin cycle
Cambium
[in roots]
Cambrian period
CaMKII
Calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase II
CAM plants
cAMP Response Element Binding (CREB) protein
Cancer
Any disease characterized by an uncontrolled proliferation of one kind of cell. [General discussion] [Chemotherapy] [Immunotherapy] [Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia][Cancer Cells in Culture] [Burkitt's Lymphoma] [lung cancer] [colon cancer] [Oncogenes] [tumor suppressor genes] [and apoptosis] [estimating risk] [caused by power lines?] [and telomeres] ["The Causes and Prevention of Cancer" by Bruce Ames]
Capillaries
[physiology]
Capping of pre-mRNA
Capsaicin
Carbamates
Carbohydrates
Carbon cycle
Carbon dioxide
[transport by blood]
Carbonic anhydrase
Carbonyl group
Carboxylic acids
Carboxyl terminal
Carboxypeptidase
Carcinogen
A substance that causes cancer.
Carcinoma
A cancer of epithelial cells.
Cardiac (heart) muscle
Carotenoid
Carpel
Carrying capacity (K) of the environment
Cartilage
Cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Casparian strip
Caspase.
Catabolism
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
[in adherens junctions] [as transcription factors]
Cathelicidins
CCK (Cholecystokinin)
CCR3 (CC chemokine Receptor 3)
CCR5 (CC chemokine Receptor 5)
CD ("cluster of differentiation") molecules
[CD1] [CD3] [CD4] [CD8] [CD20] [CD22] [CD25] [CD28] [CD33] [CD34] [CD 52] [CD80 (= B7-1)] [CD86 (= B7-2)] [CD95]
cDNA
DNA produced in vitro by the reverse transcription of a messenger RNA
CellCept®
Cell-mediated immunity
Cells
[Animal cells] [Plant cells] [Cell Cycle] [Cell Junctions] [Cell membranes] [Cell signaling]
Cellular respiration
[Discussion] [energy relationships in]
Cellulose
Cenozoic era
Centimorgan (cM)
Central dogma
Central nervous system (CNS), human
Centriole
Centromere
Centrosome
[general discussion] [in mitosis]
Cephalopoda
Cephalosporins
Cercariae
Cerebellum
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Cestoda
[pig and fish tapeworm life cycles]
Chaparral
Chaperones and chaperonins
[in protein folding] [in protein kinesis]
Character displacement
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
Chargaff rule
Chase, Martha
Checkpoints
in the cell cycle
Chelicerata
Chemiosmosis
[in chloroplasts] [in mitochondria] [laboratory demonstration]
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]
Chemotaxis
Chemotherapy
Treating a patient with chemicals to combat an infectious disease or cancer. [drugs used in cancer chemotherapy]
Chernobyl
[radiation] [effect of fallout]
Chiasma
Chimera
Chimpanzee
[genome] [evolutionary relationships] [learned behavior] [immunodeficiency virus (SIV)]
Chitin
[inhibitors as insecticides]
Chlamydia
Chloracne
Chlorinated hydrocarbons, as insecticides
Chlorination of water supplies
Chlorofluorohydrocarbons (CFCs) and ozone layer
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyta (green algae)
Chloroplasts
[structure] [chemiosmosis in] [genome]
Choanoflagellates
Cholecystokinin (CCK)
Cholera
[the cause] [1991 epidemic]
Cholesterol
[uptake by cells]
Cholinesterase
Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes)
Chondroitin sulfate
Chordata
Invertebrate chordates
Chordin
Chorion
Chorionic gonadotropin
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Choroid coat
Chromatid
Chromatin
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)
Chromatography
[affinity chromatography] [exclusion chromatography] [paper]
Chromatophores
Chromosomes
[discussion] [chromosome maps] [chromosome painting] [harlequin] [sex chromosomes]
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
[discussion] [mutation]
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chrysophyta (golden algae}
Chymotrypsin
Cigarettes and health
Cilia
Ciliates
Ciona intestinalis
Cipro®
Circadian
Occurring approximately once a day. [Discussion of circadian rhythms in Drosophila and mammals]
Circulatory system
[human: structure and function] [fish, squid, frog, lizard] ["open"]
Cistron
Citric acid cycle
Citrulline
Cladistics
Cleavage
[in frog]
Clinical studies
clinical trials of drugs
Cloaca
Posterior part of the alimentary canal into which the urinary and reproductive tracts empty in birds, reptiles, amphibians, monotremes, and many fishes. [View]
Clock (clk) gene
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]
Clonus
Clostridia
Clotting (coagulation) of blood
CMA-676
Cnidaria
Cocaine
Cochlea
Cockayne's syndrome
Codominance
The independent expression of each of two alleles in a heterozygote.
Codon
[DNA codons] [RNA codons][mRNA translation] [exceptions to the code]
Coelacanth
Coelom
Main body cavity of many animals. It is lined with an epithelium derived from mesoderm.
Coenzyme
Cohesins
Cohesion
Force of attraction between like molecules.
Cold receptors
Coleoptile
Collagen
Collective dose
Collenchyma
Colloid
Substance whose particles (macromolecules or aggregates of smaller molecules) range from 1-1000 nm in size.
Color blindness
Colostrum
Commensalism
Community
The population of plants, animals, and microbes found in a particular area and often interacting with one another.
Companion cell
Competition
[intraspecific] [interspecific]
Competitive inhibition
of enzymes
Complementarity Determining Regions (CDRs)
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.
Complementation, genetic
Complement system
Compound
Compound eye, of arthropods
Computed tomography (CT)
Concepts
Condensin
Conditioned Response
Conditioning, instrumental or operant
Cones
of human retina
Confidence limits
Conidia
Conifers
Conjugation
[bacterial conjugation] [in Paramecium]
Connective tissue
Connexins
Consumer
(primary, secondary, etc.)
Contact sensitivity
[a case study] [contact dermatitis]
Contig
A DNA sequence assembled by matching overlaps of individual DNA fragment sequences. [View]
Continental drift
Contraception
Contraceptive, oral
Convergent evolution
COPI and COPII (Coat proteins I and II)
Corepressor
Cornea
Coronary system
Corpora allata
Corpus luteum
Cortex
The outer part of an organ.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
Cortisol
Corynebacteria
Cottony cushion scale insect
Cotyledon
Countercurrent exchangers
Covalent bond
Cowpox
COX
Initials used for two entirely different molecules: cytochrome c oxidase and cyclooxygenase
CpG islands
Cranial nerves
Craniata
Creatine phosphate
Cre/loxP
Crenarchaeota
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
Cristae in mitochondria
Crossing over
[in meiosis] [molecular mechanism]
Crustacea
Cryptochrome
[and circadian rhythms] [and germination] [and etiolation] [and photoperiodism in plants]
Cryptomonads
csd ("complementary sex determiner") gene
C terminal
Cushing's syndrome
C value
[C-value paradox]
CXCR4
Cyanobacteria
Cycle (cyc) gene
Cyclic ADP ribose
Cyclic AMP (cAMP)
Cyclic GMP (cGMP)
Cyclic photophosphorylation
Cyclin
Cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2)
[COX-2 inhibitors] [and pain]
Cyclosporine
Cysteine
Cysticercosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF)
[mutations]
Cytidine deaminase
Cytochrome
[in mitochondria] [in chloroplasts] [cytochrome c sequences in different species]
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 factors are examples. [cytokine receptors]
Cytokinesis
Cytokinins
Plant hormones.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Cytoplasm
General term for all the contents of the cell outside the nucleus and within the plasma membrane.
Cytosine
Cytoskeleton
Cytosol
The fluid in which the organelles of the cytoplasm are suspended. Also called the ground substance of the cell.
Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)

D

Daclizumab
Dalton
Unit of mass equal to one-twelfth the mass of an atom of carbon-12 and therefore close to the mass of a hydrogen atom. [More]
Danio rerio (the zebrafish)
Darwin, Charles
[Darwin's finches] [experiments on phototropism]
DDT (dichloro, diphenyl, trichloroethane)
[biomagnification of]
Deafness
Deamination
Removal of an amino group (-NH2) from a compound. [Equation]
decapentaplegic (dpp)
Decarboxylation
Removal of carbon dioxide from the carboxyl group of an organic acid. [in cellular respiration]
Decay in nutrient recycling
Defensins
Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH)
Deletions
[DNA] [mapping with]
Demographic transition
Denaturation
(1) Proteins: Alteration of the physical properties and three-dimensional structure by agents too mild to break the peptide bonds. [More] (2) DNA: Separation of the two strands of the double helix (sometimes called "melting"). [More]
Dendrite
Dendritic cells
Dendritic-cell vaccines
Dendrogram
See phylogenetic tree.
Denitrification
Deoxyribonucleic acid (go to DNA)
Deoxyribose
Desert biome
Desmosomes
Deuterostomes
Diabetes
[mellitus] [insipidus]
Diacylglycerol (DAG)
Diakinesis
Dialysis
[equilibrium dialysis]
Diapsids
Diastole
Diatoms
Dicer
Dicots
[stem structure]
Dieldrin
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Differentiation
Structural and functional modification of an unspecialized cell into a specialized one.
Diffusion
Digestion
Dihybrid
Heterozygous at two different gene loci. [examples]
Dinoflagellates
Dioecious
Having female sex organs on one plant, male on another. The holly is dioecious. [and self-incompatibility]
Dioxin
[in milk]
Diphtheria
Diphyllobothrium latum
Diploid
Having two of each kind of chromosome (except for the sex chromosomes); 2n
[numbers]
Diplotene
Diptera
[anatomy]
Disaccharide
Disruptive selection
Dissociation
Separation of ions from a molecule or crystal lattice. [image]
Distal
Situated away from the place of origin or attachment.
Disulfide bridge (in proteins)
Dixon, H. H.
DNA
Polymer of deoxyribonucleotides that stores genetic information. [Structure: the Double Helix] [DNA chips] [DNA-DNA hybridization] [DNA fingerprinting] [DNA ligase] [DNA polymerase] [DNA recombination] [DNA repair] [DNA Replication] [DNA vaccines] ["Immortal" Strands] [Pyrosequencing] [Recombinant DNA and Gene Cloning] [Repetitive DNA] ["Selfish" DNA] [Sequencing by the dideoxy method]
DNA polymerase
An enzyme that catalyzes the polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides to form DNA complementary to a template (either DNA or, in the case of reverse transcriptase, RNA). [More]
DNase I
Dolly
First mammal (a sheep) cloned from an adult cell [more]
Domains, protein
Dopamine
[as hormone] [as neurotransmitter]
Dose-response relationships
Double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in DNA
Doubling times
Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
Drosophila melanogaster (with links to many subtopics)
also [diploid number] [genome size] [selector genes] [early embryonic development] [segmentation of the embryo]
Drugs
[clinical testing] [psychoactive] [proteins made by recombinant DNA technology]
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
Ductus arteriosus
Duplication
[mutation]
Dyad
A chromosome and its duplicate that was synthesized during S phase, while still connected by their single shared centromere. The two chromosomes of the dyad are known as sister chromatids. The chromatids of the dyad separate at anaphase of mitosis and of meiosis II. [Diagram] [in meiosis]
Dynein
Dystrophin

E

E. coli
Escherichia coli, a bacterium found in the intestine. [More] [genome] [aging in]
Ear, human
Ecdysone
Ecdysozoans
Echinoderms
Echolocation, in bats
Ecology
Study of the interrelationships of organisms and their environment.
Ecosystem
A community of organisms interacting with each other and with their nonliving surroundings.
Ectoderm
Ectodermin
Ectotherm
Edema
Effector
Body structure by which an organism acts. In humans the chief effectors are the muscles and glands.
Egestion
Elimination of undigested materials from the alimentary canal. [More]
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Elastase
[pancreatic] [neutrophil]
Elastins
Electric organs (and electroreceptors)
Electron
Electronegative
Having an affinity for electrons. [More]
Electron Transport Chain
Electrophoresis
Electroplates
Element
ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)
Embryo
An animal or plant in an early stage of development from a zygote. The development of animal embryos is analyzed in 4 pages:
  1. Embryonic Development: Getting Started
  2. Organizing the Embryo: The Central Nervous System
  3. Organizing the Embryo: Segmentation
  4. Embryonic Development: Putting on the finishing touches
Embryonic stem (ES) cells
(general discussion with links to other pages)
Emphysema
Emulsion
Mixture consisting of droplets of one liquid suspended in a second.
Enantiomer
Encephalitozoon cuniculi
[ genome ]
Endocrine
Refers to hormones. [discussion of human hormones] [table of human hormones] [insect hormones]
Endocytosis
[by B lymphocytes]
Endoderm
Endodermis
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
Endoreplication
Endosomes
Endosperm
Endostatin
Endosymbiont
An organism living within the body (or cell) of its symbiotic partner. [origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts]
Endotherm
An animal that maintains its body temperature with heat generated by its metabolism.
Endotoxin
End plate potential (EPP)
[More]
Energy
Capacity for doing work. [free energy]
Enhancer
Region of DNA that stimulates the initiation of the transcription of a gene. Enhancers differ from promoters in being farther away from, and either upstream (5') or downstream (3') of, the gene they influence. [Discussion]
Enkephalins
[More] [view enkephalin synapse]
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
Enzymes
[ Enzyme Kinetics ]
Eosinophils
Eotaxin
Epicotyl
That portion of the shoot of a plant embryo or seedling above the node at which the cotyledons are attached. [View]
Epidemiology
Epiphyseal plate
Epiphyte
Epithelia
Epitope
A part of an antigen to which an antibody binds. Also called an antigenic determinant. [View]
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
[genome] [and apoptosis] [how it evades cell-mediated immunity]
Equilibrium
State of balance between opposing actions. [sense of equilibrium in humans]
ERBB2 gene (also called HER2 in humans)
Erythrocyte (red blood cell)
Erythropoietin (EPO)
[the hormone] [and somatic gene therapy]
Escherichia coli
[genome]
Esters
Estrogen
Ethers
Ethylene (as plant hormone)
Etiolation
Euarchontoglires
Eubacteria
Euchromatin
Eugenics
The application of genetics in an attempt to "improve" the hereditary qualities of humans.
Euglenozoa
Eukaryote
An organism whose cells contain a membrane-bounded nucleus and usually other membrane-bounded organelles such as mitochondria and plastids. Sometimes spelled eucaryote.
Euryarchaeota
Eustachian tube
Eutheria (placental mammals)
Eutrophication
even-skipped (eve)
[role in Drosophila embryo]
Evolution
[and adaptation] [and speciation] [convergent] [and mutations] [and development ("Evo-Devo")]
Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)
Excretion
Elimination of metabolic wastes by an organism. [in humans]
Exocrine
Refers to glands that deposit their secretion(s) into ducts that drain to the "exterior". [discussion] [view topology] Compare endocrine.
Exocytosis
Exon
Portion of a gene that is retained in the messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule.Adjacent exons are separated from each other by introns. Often exons encode one domain of a protein. The ability to shuffle exons in different combinations may - over the course of evolution - have speeded up the creation of new genes with new functions. [More]
Exosome
Term unfortunately used for two entirely-different cell structures: (1) vesicles released by the cell for various types of cell-to-cell signaling, e.g., antigen presentation, and (2) complexes used for RNA degradation.
Exponential growth
Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)
Extensor
Extracellular fluid (ECF)
Extracellular matrix (ECM)
Extraembryonic membranes
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
Eye
[of humans[ [of insects]
eyeless (ey) gene

F

Facilitated diffusion
Facilitation
Factors, clotting
Fallopian tube
Farmer's lung
Farsightedness (hypermetropia)
Fas and its ligand (FasL)
[in apoptosis] [and immune privilege] Fas is also known as CD95.
Fascia
Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI)
Fats
[nutritional requirement] [molecular structures] [with trans fatty acids] [omega-3]
Fauna
Animal life.
Feedback inhibition
Fen-Phen
Fermentation
Anaerobic decomposition of an organic compound (e.g., glucose) by a living organism.[glycolysis]
Ferns
[life cycle] [evolutionary relationships]
Ferredoxin
Fertility (F) factor
Fertilization, in humans
Fetus
Unborn vertebrate after it has largely completed the development of its organ systems (in humans, after about 2 months). [circulatory system]
Fibrin
Fibroblasts
Fibronectin
Firmicutes
Fishes
[ circulatory system ]
Fission
Asexual reproduction by division of the body into two or more equal parts.
Fissure of Rolando
Fitness, evolutionary
FK506
Flagella
Flatworms (phylum Platyhelminthes)
Flexor
Flora
Plant life.
Florigen
Flow cytometry
Flower
Illustrated discussion
Flowering, genetic control of
"Flu"
Influenza. Discussion
Flukes, blood
Fluorescence
Emission of light by a substance following absorption of radiation of a different wavelength.
Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorter (FACS)
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
[muscle glycogen phosphorylase DNA] [bcr/abl DNA]
Fluoride
fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
FoF1-ATPase
Folic acid (folacin)
[analogs used as antibiotics]
Folkman, J.
Follicle
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Food chains and webs
Footprinting
for ("foraging") gene
Foramen ovale
fos gene
Fossil
Any remains of an organism or evidence of its presence that has been preserved in the earth.
Founder effect
Fovea
Foxp3 ("forkhead box P3")
Fragile X syndrome
fragilis gene
Free energy
[ and membrane transport ]
Freshwater ecosystems
Frizzled
Frog
[embryology] [ circulatory system ] [View]
Fructose
Fruit
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)
Fungi

G

G1, G2, G0
[phases of cell cycle]
GABA receptors
[drug interactions]
Gage, Phineas
Galactose
Galapagos Islands
Games parasites play
Gamete
Haploid reproductive cell which, after fusion with another gamete, forms a zygote. [More]
Gametophyte
Haploid, gamete-producing stage in the life cycle of a plant. [Discussion] [in angiosperms] [in ferns] [in mosses]
Gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI)
Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) Receptors
[drug interactions]
Gancyclovir (also spelled ganciclovir)
Ganglion
Small mass of nerve tissue containing the cell bodies of neurons. [sympathetic ganglia]
Ganglion cells
[of human retina] [in visual processing]
Gap junctions
Gas constant
Gas exchange
[in humans] [in other vertebrates] [in insects] [in leaves and stems]
Gastrin
Gastropoda
Gastrulation
[in frog embryo]
Gaucher's disease
G band
Gel blotting
Geminin
Gene conversion
Gene flow
Gene locus
Location of a particular gene (or one of its alleles) on a chromosome. [examples]
Gene pool
Generator potential
Genes, reporter
Gene therapy
[using retroviral vectors] [using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector] [using no vector]
Genetic code
Genetic drift
Genetic mosaics
Genetic testing
[sickle-cell disease] [with in vitro fertilization]
Genome
A complete haploid set of genes. [genome sizes] [The Human Genome Projects] [mitochondrial] [chloroplast]
Genotype
Genetic constitution of an individual.
Genus
A taxonomic category that includes (usually) several closely related species. Similar genera are grouped in a family. Humans (Homo sapiens) belong to the genus Homo.
Geological eras and periods
Germination
Resumption of growth of the embryo within a seed, or of a spore. [germination in seeds]
Germline
Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS)
Ghrelin
giant (gt)
[role of gene in Drosophila segmentation]
Gibberellins
Gibbs, Josiah Willard
Gill slits
Paired openings from the pharynx to the exterior that occur in many aquatic chordates when the gill pouches open out at the branchial grooves. [View]
Girdling
Glands
[exocrine] [endocrine]
Gleevec® (also known as STI571 and imatinib mesylate)
Glia
Global warming
Glomerulus
Glucagon
Glucocorticoids
[Discussion] [receptor bound to response element]
Gluconeogenesis
Glucose
[structure] [homeostatic regulation of]
Glutamic acid
[structure] [as neurotransmitter]
Glutamine
Glycation
Glycerol
Glycine
[structure] [as neurotransmitter]
Glycogen
Glycogenolysis
Glycolysis
Glycopeptide antibiotics
Glycophorin A
Glycoproteins
Glycosidic bond
Glycosylation
Goiter
Golgi apparatus
[Discussion] [in protein kinesis]
Gonad
Organ that produces gametes, sperm in males, eggs in females. In humans, the gonads also make sex hormones.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
Gondwana
Gonorrhea
Goodpasture's syndrome
gp120
[role in death of CD4+ T cells]
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)
[odor receptors] [pheromone receptors] [peptide hormone receptors] [taste receptors] [rhodopsin] [GABAB receptors] [opiate receptors] [serotonin receptors] [Ca2+ receptor]
G proteins
Grafting (in plants)
Graft rejection
[mechanism] [preventing]
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)
Immune attack against the host mediated by T cells in a transplanted organ or tissue (e.g., bone marrow). [More] [still more]
Graft-versus-leukemia
Gram stain
Grana
Granulocyte
One of the three types of leukocytes (white blood cells) that contain granules in their cytoplasm. Neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils are the granulocytes. [More]
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)
Granzymes
Grassland biome
Graves' disease
Also called thyrotoxicosis. [More]
Gravitropism
[mechanism]
Gray (Gy)
Gray crescent
Green algae
Chlorophyta
Green fluorescent protein (GFP)
Greenhouse effect
Griffith, F.
Growth
Increase in the size of an organism, resulting from an increase in its number of cells, their size, the amount of extracellular matrix, or all of these. [human growth hormone]
Guanine
Gustducin
Gymnosperms

H

HAART
Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy (for AIDS)
Habitat
The type of site where an organism normally lives.
Habituation
Hair cells
Half-life
The time needed for (1) half the atoms of a radioactive substance to decay or (2) half the amount of a substance (e.g., a drug) to be metabolized or excreted.
Haltere
HAMA
human antimouse antibodies
Ham's medium
Haploid
Having only a single set of chromosomes (n) as is present in gametes. Also called monoploid.
Haplotype
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
Harlequin chromosomes
Haversian canal
HDL (high-density lipoprotein)
Hearing, sense of
Heart
[anatomy of human heart ] [ control of human heart ] [ fish heart ] [ frog and lizard hearts ] [ squid hearts ]
Heat receptors
Heat transport
Hedgehog signaling
HeLa cells
Helicase
Helicobacter pylori
[genome] [adaptation to stomach]
Helix-turn-helix proteins
[ and phytochrome ]
Helper T cells
[Discussion] [Interaction with B cells]
Hemagglutinin
of influenza virus
Hematocrit
Hemidesmosomes
Hemizygous
Genes present in only one copy, not two, in an otherwise diploid cell or individual. Human males are hemizygous for most of the genes on the X chromosome.
Hemoglobin
A red, iron-containing protein that transports oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood of vertebrates and some invertebrates. [More] [sickle-cell] [in different species]
Hemophilia
[A, B, C] [Inheritance]
Hemophilus influenzae
[genome]
Heparan sulfate
Heparin
Hepatic portal system
Hepatitis B
HER1 and HER2
Herbaceous
Nonwoody.
Herbicides
Herbivore
An animal that eats plants.
Herceptin
Hereditary angioneurotic edema (HANE)
Heritability
Herpesviruses
Hershey, A. D.
Hertz
Cycles per second.
Heterochromatin
Heterodimer
Complex of two different proteins.
Heteroduplex DNA
Heteroplasmy
Heterotrophic
Requiring a supply of organic compounds (food) from the environment. [ More ]
Heterozygous
Having two different alleles (e.g., A and a) at the corresponding gene loci on homologous chromosomes.
Hexapoda (the insects)
Hexose
Hippocampus
Histidine
Histocompatibility molecules
[class I] [class II] [minor] [genes that encode them] [structure of HLA-A2]
Histones
[ histone acetyltransferases (HATs) ] [ histone deacetylases (HDACs) ]
HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
[how it evades the immune system]
HLA
human leukocyte antigen [structures] [genes]
Homeobox
A sequence of 180 base pairs which encodes a 60-amino acid homeodomain found in many DNA-binding proteins. Genes containing homeoboxes are found in all eukaryotic genomes.
Homeostasis
Maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment (ECF).
Homeothermic
Having a constant body temperature above that of the usual surroundings; therefore, "warm-blooded".
Hominoid
Group of primates that includes hominids and hominins. [Discussion]
Homodimer
Complex of two identical protein molecules.
Homo habilis
Homologous
Showing a fundamental similarity of structure because they have been inherited from a common ancestor. Applied to structures ranging from organs to molecules.
[illustrated discussion] [chromosome pairs]
Homoplasmy
Homozygous
Having identical alleles (e.g., AA or aa) at the corresponding gene loci on homologous chromosomes.
Honeybees (Apis mellifera)
[life history] [honeybee communication]
Hormesis
Hormone
Substance secreted by cells in one part of the body which, after being transported by body fluids, exerts an effect on the activities of cells elsewhere in the body. [of humans] [of insects] [sex hormones] [of plants]
Horsetails
Hox gene clusters
[in Drosophila, mouse, and human]
HTLV-1
and adult T cell leukemia
Hubel, D. H.
Human Genome Project (HGP)
Human papilloma virus (HPV)
[interaction with tumor suppressor genes] [and apoptosis]
Humus
hunchback (hb)
[role of gene in Drosophila segmentation]
Huntington's disease
[mutation]
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome
Hyaluronic acid
Hybrid
Organism produced by genetically dissimilar parents. It is heterozygous for one or (more often) many pairs of genes.
Hybridization
Hydrocarbons
Hydrogen bond
[ in DNA ]
Hydrolysis
Decomposition of a substance by the insertion of water molecules between certain of its bonds. Food is digested by hydrolysis.
Hydronium ion
Hydrophilic
Used to describe molecules or molecular groups that are attracted to water and other polar solvents.
Hydrophobic
Used to describe molecules or molecular groups that mix poorly with water. Hydrocarbons and fats are hydrophobic. [hydrophobic interactions between macromolecules]
Hydroxyl group
Hydroxyl radical
Hypercholesterolemia, familial
Hypertension
Hypertonic solutions
Hypervariable regions
Hypocotyl
That portion of the shoot of a plant embryo or seedling below the node to which the cotyledons are attached. [View]
Hypothalamus
[hormones of]
Hypothesis
[testing] [null]
Hypotonic solutions

I

IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid)
ICAM-1 (InterCellular Adehesion Molecule-1)
I-cell disease ("inclusion-cell disease")
IgA
A class of antibody molecules abundant in tears, colostrum, and other secretions. [More]
IgE
A class of antibodies responsible for certain immediate hypersensitivities (allergies). [More]
IgG
The class of antibody molecules that is most abundant in the blood. [More]
Ilyanassa obsoleta
Imatinib mesylate (also known as Gleevec® and STI571)
Immune globulin (IG)
Immune privilege
Immune surveillance
The possibility that one function of the immune system is to recognize and destroy cancerous cells when they first appear.
Immune System
[anatomy] [antigen receptors] [B cells and T cells] [clonal selection] [generation of antigen receptor diversity]
Immunity
[adaptive vs. innate] [cell-mediated] [active vs. passive] [complete list of topics]
Immunological memory
Immunological synapse
Immunological tolerance
The inability to produce antibodies and/or a cell-mediated immune response to a particular antigen.
Immunosuppression
The use of drugs or other agent (e.g., x rays) to inhibit an immune response. [More]
Immunotoxin
Impact hypothesis
Implantation
Imprinting
[genomic or parental (the preferential expression of the allele inherited from one parent or the other)] [in animal behavior].
Inbreeding
Incretins
Indels
Independent assortment of genes
Indian pipe
Indole-3-acetic acid
Industrial melanism
Inflammasome
Inflammation
Infliximab
Influenza
Ingestion
Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)
Inner Cell Mass
[of mouse blastocyst] [of human blastocyst]
Inorganic
Term describing all compounds that do not contain carbon as well as a few simple carbon-containing substances such as carbon dioxide and the carbonates.
Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)
Insecticides
Insects
[insect hormones] [orders of]
Insertions (in DNA)
Instincts
Insulators
Insulin
Insulin-like growth factor
[Igf-1] [Imprinting of Igf-2 gene (as well as that of its receptor)]
Integral membrane protein
[schematic (48K)] [single-pass] [thylakoid] [mitochondrion]
Integrase
Integrins
[and angiogenesis]
Inteins
Interferon (IFN)
Interleukins
Cytokines that regulate development and activities of leukocytes. [in blood cell formation] [interactions with helper T cells]
Intermediate filaments
Intermediate host
Host normally used by a parasite during an immature or larval stage of the parasite's life cycle. [of tapeworms] [of blood flukes]
Interneuron
Interphase
Interstitial fluid
The fluid lying between, and thus bathing, the cells of animals. Interstitial fluid (also called extracellular fluid - ECF) is derived from blood. Lymph is derived from it.
Intertidal zone
Intestine
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
Intrinsic factor
Introgression
Intron
Portion of a gene that is transcribed into RNA but is removed during the formation of the mature RNA molecule. Found in rRNA and tRNA genes as well as in genes encoding proteins. Most eukaryotic genes have introns; most genes in bacteria and archaea do not. [More] [Group I] [Group II]
Invariant (Ii) chain
Invertebrates
Inverted repeats
In vitro
Done in the "test tube".
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
[prior genetic screening]
In vivo
Refers to experiments performed in the living organism.
Iodine
Ion
Atom or group of atoms that has an electrical charge arising from the gain or loss of electrons.
Ion channels in cell membranes
Ionic bond
Chemical bond formed between ions of opposite charge. [More]
Iron
[nutritional requirement]
Islets of Langerhans
Isoleucine
Isomer
Molecule with the same molecular formula as another but with a different structural formula (e.g., glucose and fructose). [optical isomers]
Isometric
The contraction, without shortening, of a muscle. [More]
Isotonic
(1) Adjective to describe the contraction of a muscle that is allowed to shorten as it exerts a steady force. (2) Having the same concentration of water as the solution under comparison. (More)
Isotope
Atom that differs in weight from other atoms of the same element because of a different number of neutrons in its nucleus. [Discussion]

J

JAK-STAT pathway ["JAnus Kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription"]
Jenner, Edward
Joly, J.
jun gene
Juvenile hormone (JH)
[as insecticide]

K

Kandel, E. R.
Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV)
Karyotype
[of normal human male]
Keratan sulfate
Keratin
[in intermediate filaments]
Ketones
Kidney
[anatomy and physiology] [hormones of] [comparative vertebrate kidneys]
Kinase