Symbols

(-)

inhibitory or negative feedback

(+)

stimulatory or positive feedback

(=)

equals

[ ]

concentration

/

per

°

degrees

←

away from

↑

increases

→

towards or produces or results in

↓

decreases

↔

chemical reaction proceeds in either direction

±

more or less

<

less than

>

greater than

~

approximately or energy bond

≡

equivalent to

#

number of

1/α

inversely proportional to

1°

primary

2°

secondary

A.A. (a.a.)

amino acid

AA (aa)

artery or arteries

ADP (A~P~P)

adenosine diphosphate

ATP (A~P~P~P)

adenosine triphosphate

-ase

ending for an enzyme

ANS

autonomic nervous system

cAMP

cyclic adenosine monophosphate

cm

centimeter

CNS

central nervous system

cps

cycles per second see Hz

dl

deciliter equals 100 ml

E°

energy

EC (ECF)

extracellular or electrochemical or extracellular fluid

EFX (efx)

effects

f

focal length

Fru

fructose

fx (fxs)

function or functions

fxl

functional

Glu

glucose

gm (g)

gram

Hb

hemoglobin

Hb-O2

oxyhemoglobin

Hb-CO2

carboxyhemoglobin

HP

hydrostatic pressure

Hz

frequency as cycles per second

IC (ICF)

intracellular or intracellular fluid

ISF

interstitial fluid

kg

kilogram equals 1000 grams

kin-

movement

L

length or liter

m

meter or molality

M

molar or molarity

mM

millimolar or millimolarity

mg

milligram equals 1000th of a gram

ml

milliliter equals 1000th of a liter

mm

millimeter

mmHg

millimeters of mercury

mol

mole

mOsm

milliosmoles or milliosmolarity

MP (RMP)

membrane potential or resting membrane potential

msec

milliseconds

mV

millivolts

MW

molecular weight

-ol

ending for an alcohol

OP

osmotic pressure

-ose

ending for a sugar

Osm

osmolarity or osmolality

p

partial pressure or permeability

pH

power of hydrogen pH scale

PNS

peripheral nervous system

PSym

parasympathetic

r

radius

R

resistance or receptor

RBC

red blood cell

Sx (sxs)

structure or structures

Sxl

structural

Sym

sympathetic

V-G

voltage gated

V

volts

VV (vv)

vein or veins

WBC

white blood cell

X

cross

α

alpha or proportional to

β

beta

Δ

delta change or difference

δ

delta

η

eta

µ

micron

µm

micrometer

µl

microliter

π

pi

∅

physiology

C

carbon

Ca++

calcium ion

Cl-

chloride ion

CO2

carbon dioxide

-COOH

carboxylic acid

-COO-

carboxylate ion

-C=O

ketone

Fe++

iron ion