ICSI
acronym for IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection, A procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg; this procedure is most commonly used to overcome male infertility problems. (More? Week 1 - In Vitro Fertilization | Week 1 - Spermatogenesis)
ileum
Third part of small intestine lying between the jejunum and large intestine. (More? Gastrointestinal Tract Notes)
ilium
implantation
the process of attachment and invasion of the euterine endometrium by the blastocyst (conceptus). Abnormal implantation is where this process does not occur in the body of the uterus (ectopic) or where the placenta forms incorrectly. (More? Week 2 - Implantation | Week 2 Abnormalities)
incomplete abortion
previous term for retained products of conception where part of the placenta or fetal membranes remains within the uterus.
incus
one of 3 bones of the middle ear (stapes-malleus-incus) converts mechanical vibration into fluid movement within cochlea. (More? Hearing Notes | Middle Ear)
induced abortion
(or therapeutic abortion) surgical, pharmaceutical or other medical procedure used to end a pregnancy.
induction
In development, the process by which one cell population influences the development of neighboring cells. Medically, the process of artificially inducing labour. (More? Birth Notes)
Infectious Disease
or contagious disease, generally a bacterial, viral or fungal organism that is transferred from one organism to another by four main methods of transmission (contact, vehicular, airborne or vector). Contagiousness refers to the ease of transmission of the infective agent. (More? Abnormal Development)
infundibulum
funnel-shaped initial segment of uterine tube (oviduct or Fallopian tube) opening into peritoneal cavity and connected to the ampulla. The peritoneal opening sitting over the ovary. (More? Week 1 - Oogenesis | Genital System - Female)
inguinal canal
pathway for male testes descent from the abdominal cavity (fetal) into the scrotum. (More? Genital System - Male | Genital Notes - Gonadal Descent)
Inhibin A
a glycoprotein hormone is secreted by the corpus luteum and placenta and regulates pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The hormone acts in negative feedback regulation of FSH during pregnancy. Measurement of Inhibin A levels is also used as a second-trimester maternal serum marker for Down syndrome.
Inhibin B
a glycoprotein hormone is secreted by early antral follicles during the luteo-follicular transition of the menstrual cycle and regulates pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).. In humans during the early follicular phase, high inhibin B concentrations allow the selection of a single follicle by decreasing the FSH serum levels.
inner cell mass
In a mammalian embryo, a small group of cells within a blastocyst that will eventually grow into the embryo itself and subsequently into the adult. The remainder of cells that form the wall are the trophoblast cells. (More? Week 1 Notes | Week 2 Notes)
insulin
A protein hormone, produced by specialized cells of the pancreas, that regulates glucose uptake; a signal for the absorptive state; promotes the synthesis of glycogen and inhibits its breakdown. (More? Endocrine Development - Pancreas)
integument
(Latin, in = on, tegmen = a roof, covering) term used to describe the skin and its associated structures. (More? Skin Notes)
interferon-alpha
(IFNalpha) cytokine used to treat several malignant and nonmalignant diseases, especially hepatitis C.
interphase
The part of the cell cycle in which the chromosomes are not condensed and the cytoplasm is not dividing.
intestinal immune system
consists of a system of functional regions and cells including: Peyer's patches, isolated lymphoid follicles, cryptopatches and mesenteric lymph nodes. (More? Gastrointestinal Tract Notes | Immune Notes)
interstitial growth
one form of cartilage growth from within leading to an increase of cartilage mass. The second form of cartilage growth is appositional, on the surface. (More? Musculoskeletal Development)
intracytoplasmic sperm injection
(ICSI) A procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg; this procedure is most commonly used to overcome male infertility problems. (More? Week 1 - In Vitro Fertilization | Week 1 - Spermatogenesis)
intraembryonic coelom
"horseshoe-shaped" space that initially forms in the lateral plate mesoderm that forms the 3 body cavities: pericardial, pleural, peritoneal. (More? Week 3 Notes and mesoderm)
intraflagellar transport
(IFT) process by which cilia containing microtubules are formed on cells. Recent research has shown an important roles for cell cilia in different systems during embryonic development.
intramembranous ossification
the process of bone formation directly from a membrane, occurs in cranial vault (skull). The majority of skeleton formed by other process of bone formation on a cartilaginous template, endochondrial ossification. (More? Musculoskeletal Notes)
intrahepatic bile ducts (IHBDs) transport bile secreted from hepatocytes to the hepatic duct. The cells that line the IHBD are biliary epithelial cells generated from bipotent hepatoblasts around the portal vein. (More? GIT Notes - Liver | GIT Notes - Gall Bladder)
intrauterine growth retardation
(IUGR), < 10th percentile for gestational age, not easy to detect before 32 weeks, can have fetal, placental or maternal causes. (More? Abnormal Notes IUGR | Fetal Programming Hypothesis)
in vitro
(Latin, vitro = glass) In a test tube, used to describe any process that does not occur in its natural environment (in vivo). In development, often associated with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
in vitro fertilization
IVF, a procedure that involves removing eggs from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them outside her body. The resulting embryos are then transferred back into the woman's uterus through the cervix. (More? Week 1 - In Vitro Fertilization | Week 1 - Fertilization)
in vivo
(Latin, vivo = life) used to describe any process that occurs in its natural (normal) environment.
in vivo fertilization
the natural biological mechaism of fertilization that occurs within the body. (More? Week 1 - In Vivo Fertilization | Week 1 - Fertilization)
inotropes
drugs that increase the force of cardiac contraction by acting on the autonomic nervous system. (More? Heart Notes)
Iodine
(Greek, ioeides = violet) an element named for the color of its vapour. It is an essential element required for the synthesis of thyroid hormone which is in turn required for normal neural development. (More? Abnormal Development - Iodine Deficiency)
ischemia
lack of oxygen in a tissue or organ due to decreasd blood flow by any mechanism (obstruction, narrowing or damage to blood vessels). Leads to hypoxia in the tissue.
islets of Langerhans
small cell clusters spread through the pancreas with an endocrine (hormomonal) function. (More? Endocrine Development - Pancreas)
isthmus
(Greek, isthmos = a narrow passage, a land-bridge, a connecting band) term used to describe anatomical structures with a similar physical structure. Uterine isthmus is the region between the uterine body (corpus) and the cervix.
IUGR
acronym for intrauterine growth retardation, < 10th percentile for gestational age, not easy to detect before 32 weeks (More? Abnormal Notes IUGR | Fetal Programming Hypothesis)
IUI-donor
acronym for intra-uterine insemination using donated sperm. (More? Week 1 - In Vitro Fertilization)
IVF
in vitro fertilization, a procedure that involves medical intervention in the normal fertilization process. For example, removing eggs from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them outside her body. The resulting embryos are then transferred into the woman's uterus through the cervix. (More? Week 1 - In Vitro Fertilization | Week 1 Notes)
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Search the NIH Medlineplus Medical Dictionary Type the word that you would like to find. If unsure of spelling, type the first few letters, followed by an asterisk(*). |
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Use this page to access brief definitions of specific alphabetically listed embryology terms. Additional information can be accessed from links listed at the end of each definition. Glossary from the UNSW Embryology program compiled and written by Dr Mark Hill. Reference Material used in preparing Glossary List: Texts listed on page 1 Reading of each notes section, Department of Anatomy Publications, WWW resources from NCBI, AMA (USA), Office of Rare Diseases (USA), PubMed Medline Dictionaries, MSDS, Merck Manual home edn., NHMRC (Australia). These notes are for Educational Purposes Only. Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project. |
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