Glossary
Acute
Brief and severe
Anaemia
A quantitative deficiency of haemoglobin, often accompanied by a reduced number of red blood cells. Symptoms include pallor, weakness and breathlessness.
Antibodies
Y- shaped protein molecules produced by B cells as part of the primary immune defence. Each molecule and its clones have a unique binding site which combines with the complementary site of a foreign antigen (e.g. on a virus or bacterium) thereby disabling the antigen and stimulating other...
Asymptomatic
Showing no evidence of disease
ATP
Adenosine triphosphate. Formed aerobically by the reaction between adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and an inorganic phosphate group. It serves as a source of energy for physiological reactions.
Blood Borne
Spread through the blood
Chronic
Having long duration (over 6 months)
Cirrhosis
A disease of the liver characterised by an increase in connective tissue and alteration in gross and microscopic makeup.
Cytokine
A small protein released by cells that has a specific effect on the interactions between cells, on communications between cells or on the behaviour of cells. The cytokines includes the interleukins, lymphokines and cell signal molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor and the interferons, which...
Encephalopathy
Brain disease
Endocytosis
Macromolecules and particles outside the cell are taken up by the cell via a progressive invagination (inpouching) and eventual pinching off of a region of the cell membrane, forming a membrane-bound vesicle (bubble) within the cytoplasm of the cell
Endosome
A smooth sac within the cell formed by or fused with coated vesicles that shed their clathrin. Within this, ligands are seperated from their receptors & receptors are then returned to the cell surface.
Fibrosis
The development of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ.
Genotype
In the case of hepatitis C, this refers to the 6 different strains of the virus
Glutathione
A crystalline, water- soluble peptide of glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine. It is found in the blood, animal and plant tissue and is important in tissue oxidation and in the activation of some enzymes.