Remaining Chapters - Vocab

Buffy Coat

layer of cells b/w plasma and RBC that contain lymphocytes (can be used to initiate lymphocyte macro cultures

Colcemid/colchicine

Alkaloid derived from plant that reversibly binds tubulin, therefore preventing spindle formation. (prevents chromosomes of mitotic cells from entering anaphase)

Complete Medium

Basal culture medium supplemented with nutrients to enhance cell growth

Culture/basal medium

contains minimal essential components to maintain cell viability

feedback inhibition

where end product of a biochem reaction pathway inhibit enzymatic processing of the initial product

Isotonic solution

solution exerting equal osmotic pressure relative to another solution through a semi-permeable membrane (neither shrinks, nor swells cells)

Macro culture

culture method that uses buffy coat (required relatively large amounts of whole blood to be collected)

Micro Culture

culture method that uses whole blood (requires less blood to be collec

Mitogen

chemical that causes cells to enter mitosis

PHA

lectin derived from kidney beans that can stimulate T-lymphocytes to undergo mitosis

tonicity

refers to ionic concentration, as in isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic

Adherent cultures

cultures in which cells divide while attached to a surface

chelate

to bind with a metal in a weakly dissociated complex in which the metal is part of the ring

Chimerism

composed of two cell species

Complement

complex of proteins in serum that interact to combine with the antigen-antibody complex (produces cell lysis when antigen is intact cell)

conditioned medium

medium containing growth factors secreted by actively dividing cells

continuous cell line

cell line after transformation; immortal

Hepes buffer

organic buffer used to decrease the need for bicarbonate in a culture

mycoplasma

genus of bacteria consisting of cells which do not pocess a true cell wall. Appear as coccoid bodies or rings to filaments.

Parasitic to pathogenic in humans and other animals

porosity membrane filter

filter for sterilizing media and other liquids

proteases

enzymes present in preparations of trypsin and other enzyme dispersal agents, which increase their efficiency

senescence

process or condition of growing old; failure of cells to continue cycling

transformed cell line

characterized by permanent inheritable changes from normal diploid cell lines, the changes may be molecular to cytogenetic

Acetyloinsterase (ACHE)

enzyme produced by neural tissue (present in amniotic fluid of fetuses with open NTD)

AF-Type cells

amniotic fluid-specific cell type seen in amniotic fluid cell cultures; appear to be derived from placental tissue

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)

glycoprotein synthesized by fetal liver and GI tract (elevated in AF of fetuses with open NTD and abdominal wall defects)

amniocentesis

surgical procedure where needle is placed through uterine wall into amnion cavity and amniotic fluid is drawn (guided by US)

Chorion

outermost of two membranes that encloses a pregnancy

Chorion villi

finger-like projections growing from the surface of the chorion membrane; as the villi proliferate, they develop into the placenta

CVS

surgical procedure where small sample of placenta tissue is removed by transcerival aspiration with a soft plastic catheter or by trans abdominal aspiration with a needle

confined placental mosaicism

the presence of mosaicism in placental tissue that is not present in the tissues of the fetus

cytotrophoblast

cellular layer of the trophoblast (inner cellular layer)

decidua

mucous lining of the uterine cavity that is thrown off after birth