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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
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
Amino sugar
Monomeric carbohydrate containing an amino group
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Angiogenesis
A process of growth of capillary blood vessels in body or body parts resulting in blood supply; is fundamental to reproduction, embryonic development, and tissue repair; tumor growth is angiogenesis-dependent
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Autoimmune diseases
A disease resulting from the production of autoantibodies, and leading to a damage of normal components of the body
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b
Biotransformation
A chemical process in a living system, typically catalyzed by an enzyme or by several enzymes
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Blood-brain barrier
A three-layer protective barrier on the way of drugs or proteins entering the brain with the bloodstream; consists of the endothelium, the basement membrane, and the astrocytes; presents continuous tight junctions and allows very little movement across the barrier
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Bone marrow
The soft vascular tissue that fills the cavities of most bones. Bone marrow depression - decreased blood cell count
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Bronchogenic carcinoma
Growths made up of cancerous cells and located in the bronchi
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c
Cancer cell
A malignant cell; a group of such cells forms a growing tumor
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Carbohydrates
A group of chemical compounds of organic nature, exemplified by sugars; range from rather simple molecules ("monomers") to complex polymeric carbohydrates, consisting from hundreds and thousands of monomers, connected by glycosidic bonds.
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Carcinoma
Growths made up of cancerous cells
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Carcinoma xenograft
Tumor surgically transplanted from one animal to another, where it grows and becomes a permanent part
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Cell adhesion
Attachment of cells to surface or to other cells (such as cell-cell adhesion)
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Cell division
Biological multiplication of cells; proliferation of cells
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Cell receptors
A formation on a cell surface, capable to a tight interaction with a certain molecule or a structurally related group of molecules (ligands); such interaction typically triggers a biochemical or a biophysical event on a molecular level; ligands exert their biological effects by binding to specific cell receptors, which in turn may transduce the signal to the nucleus, resulting in induction of genes
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Cellular membrane
An "envelope" enclosing an inner ("liquid") part of a cell; the "envelope" has an extremely complex composition, spatial structure, and function.
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Central nervous system
Part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord
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Cerebrospinal fluid
The liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord and filling the cavities of the brain
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Chemotherapy
The prevention or treatment of a disease by the systemic administration of chemical drugs
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Chemotherapy regiment
A regulated, detailed protocol for chemotherapy
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Complex carbohydrates
High-molecular, polymeric carbohydrates consisting of multiple, irregular and various sugar residues, connected by various glycosidic bonds
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Cross-linking of RNA
RNA molecules chemically modified in such a way that covalent chemical bonds (links) connect distant parts of RNA, thereby disrupting RNAÕ biological function
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Cytotoxic agent
An agent destroying the biological function of the cell
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d
Disseminated carcinoma
Carcinoma spread in the body by way of the bloodstream or lymphatics
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Disseminated neoplastic conditions
An abnormal growth of tissue, as a tumor, spread in the body via metastasis
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DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the principal molecule of the genetic apparatus of the cell; consists of a backbone of sugar phosphate esters with side chains of nitrogenous bases Ð the purines and pyrimidines; occurs in the nucleus of most cells as a double strand, twisted together into a helix; one of the strands is the active source of information in the cell, the other serves as a matrix for the formation of the new active strand upon cell division; typically has a size of a 10,000th of a millimeter wide and one millimeter long; each of our cells (generally less than a millimeter long) contains about six feet of DNA
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DNA array technology
A new approach to identify candidate genes whose products (that is, proteins) interact or act in concert with a certain cell function, such as turning it into a cancerous cell. The approach is based on random large-scale labeling of expressed genes (that is genes, that are converted into protein). Using laser-capture microdissection of cells, the full set of genes is obtained from the cell, arrayed on a glass slide, and mixed with cDNA from normal tissue (e.g., labeled green) or cancerous tissue (labeled red) for a DNA hybridization reaction. After hybridization and detection of the color, the genes are divided into three groups: (i) yellow colored spots (red plus green), when the genes are expressed in both normal and cancerous tissue (genes of no particular interest), (ii) red colored, that is candidate tumor promoters (these genes are turned on as the cancer develops, and their protein products are potential drug targets), and (iii) green colored, that is candidate tumor suppressors (these genes are turned off as the cancer develops, and they could potentially be replaced with gene therapy).
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Drug delivery
Bringing the drug to its target tissue or organ with maximum therapeutic effect; rated by its convenience, efficiency, and decreased side effects.
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Drug delivery vehicle
A substance, accompanying the drug, which improves the drug delivery; often is a polymeric molecule associated with the drug either through strong (covalent) chemical links or relatively week (non-covalent) bonds.
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e
Efficacy
Therapeutic efficacy; an ability of the drug to produce the desired effect.
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Enzymes
Biological catalysts of a protein nature; sometimes contain metals, carbohydrates, complex organic molecules, etc., essential for their catalytic functions
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f
Fluorinated pyrimidine
A small organic molecule containing two nitrogen atoms and one fluorine substituent
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g
Galactopolysaccharide
Complex carbohydrates, containing high amounts of galactose residues
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Galactose
A simple sugar, similar to glucose; a monomeric sugar molecule
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Galactose-rich oligosaccharides
Relatively short chains of sugar residues, typically consisting of three to 10-20 sugar molecules connected by glycosidic bonds, and containing high amounts of galactose residues
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Galactose-specific lectins
Proteins or glycoproteins of non-immune origin which agglutinate cells and/or precipitate glycoconjugates, and show specificity to binding galactose compared to other sugars
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Galactose-specific proteins
Proteins capable to a tight association with galactose compared to other sugars
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Gastric sarcoma
A malignant tumor that begins in connective tissue of gastrointestinal tract
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Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Heavy bleeding in gastrointestinal tract
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Genes
Units of the chromosomes, by which hereditary characters are transmitted and determined; regions (stretches) of DNA, determine the amino acid sequence of a corresponding peptide
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Genomic technologies
Mainly futuristic concept (stemming from real recent findings, however) based on revealing entire genetic structure of human beings, that is identifying every gene Ð including disease-producing or "miscoded" ones - and using it for diagnosis (identifying the genetic cause of a particular health problem) and the respective gene therapy (insertion a more functional gene or having the gene repaired).
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Glycoconjugates
Carbohydrates chemically (covalently) connected to proteins, lipids, and other non-carbohydrate polymeric molecules
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Glycosidic bond
A chemical (covalent) bond connecting sugar residues in oligo- and polysaccharides to each other; there are various types and various spatial configurations of glycosidic bonds
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h
Hodgkin's lymphoma
A neoplastic (tumor-related) disease characterized by progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes and inflammation of other lymphoid tissues
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i
Intestinal mucosa
A membrane lining the intestinal tract
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j k l m
mannans
Complex carbohydrates, a family of mixed polymers rich with mannose residues.
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Malignant cells
Cancer cells
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Membrane permeability
Ability of biological membranes to let some specific chemical compounds (or hydrogen ions) to get across them in or out; can be changed by interaction of membranes (or receptors on their surface) with some specific ligands
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Metabolites
Substances produced by or taking part in biotransformations
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n
Nucleic acids
DNA or RNA; generally, a group of complex organic acids found in the nucleus of the living cell and essential to life, and spatially arranged as helical chains
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o
Oligopolymers
Relatively short chains of "monomeric" molecular units, covalently bound together, and consisting typically from three to 10-20 residues
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p
Placebo
A harmless, unmedicated preparation given as a medicine to a patient as a control in testing the efficacy of another, medicated substance, as in a clinical trial
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Polymers
Giant chemical substances of natural or synthetic origin; formed from smaller molecules (monomers) of the same substance
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Polysaccharides
Polymers of a carbohydrate nature, formed from simple sugars (monomers), connected to each other by glycosidic bonds; can be linear (cellulose, starch, chitin) or branched (pectin)
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q
r
Receptors
See cell receptors
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RNA
Ribonucleic acid; one of the principal molecules of the genetic apparatus of the cell
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s
Sarcoma
A malignant tumor that begins in connective tissue
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Sugar residues
Simple (monomeric) sugar chemically attached to another part of the molecule (such as in oligo- or polysaccharide, glycoconjugate, etc.) via glycosidic bond
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Sugar-specific recognitions
Property of cell receptors, lectins, etc. to specifically bind certain sugars and/or repeating units of certain sugars; typically, this interaction triggers some biochemical or a biophysical event on a molecular level (for instance, transduces the signal to the nucleus, resulting in induction of genes, or opens transmembrane channels)
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t
Tumor regression
A gradual subsiding of a tumor
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u
v
Vehicle (in a drug delivery system)
A substance, accompanying the drug, which improves the drug delivery; often a polymeric molecule, associated with the drug either through strong (covalent) chemical links or relatively week (non-covalent) bonds.
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w
Wilm's tumor
Kidney adenosarcoma; nephroblastoma
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x y z
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