Magnificationthe number of times greater an image is than the actual object |
Malnutritionabnormal nutrition, usually nutritional deficiency but may also mean excess of nutrition |
Mangeskin conditions caused by a variety of mites |
Masticationchewing |
Maximum Permissible Dose (MPD)an amount of radiation exposure whichis considered no more hazardous than that which could be encountered on a day to day basis |
Mechanical vectorthe organism is only carried by the host and does not undergo any development inside the host |
Megakaryocyteslarge cells, found in the bone marrow, that break up to form platelets, which are important in the clotting mechanism of blood |
Meibomian glandsmodified sebaceous glands present in the eyelids which produce an oily secretion, which helps to prevent the eye from drying out. Also called tarsal glands. |
Meiosiscell division involved in ova and sperm production. Four haploid cells are produced, each with half the number of chromosomes than the parent cell. |
Melanocytecell in the skin that produces and contains the pigment called melanin |
Mendel's First Law of Inheritance - the Law of Segregation |
Mendel's Second Law of Inheritance - the Law of Independent Assortmenteach pair of genes is inherited without being influenced by the presence of other genes |
Metabolic acidosis |
Metabolic alkalosisless acidic plasma pH due to a metabolic process. A common example of this is acute vomiting resulting in a loss of hydrogen ions from the stomach. Chronic vomiting will result in metabolic acidosis due to a loss of bicarbonate from intestinal contents. |
Metabolismthe sum of the physical and chemical changes that take place in living organisms. These changes include both synthesis (anabolism) and breakdown (catabolism) of substances in the body. |
Micro-organisman organism too small to be seen by the naked eye; a microscopic organism |
Microtubules |
Micturitionthe act of expelling urine from the bladder |
Milk teethsee deciduous teeth |
Milliamperes (mA)combination of the mA and exposure time which dictates the number of X-rays produced during an exposure |
Miosisconstriction of the pupil |
Mitochondriamembrane-bound organelle that is the site of aerobic respiration in the cell |
Mitosisthe division of the nucleus that results in two diploid cells with exactly the same number and type of chromosomes as the parent cell |
Mixed nervecontains both sensory and motor fibres |
Modified transudatetransudate with a high protein and cell content, as in inflammation. Eventually, modified transudate may become exudate. |
Monocytetype of agranular white blood cell |
Monogastricstomach with only one compartment |
Monosynaptic reflexa reflex that only involves a single set of synapses |
Motor fibresnerve fibres that carry impulses away from the central nervous system |
MulticellularOrganisms that consist of more than one cell |
Multiparousgive birth to more than one offspring; litter-bearing |
Murmurabnormal heart sound created by alteration of blood flow through the heart |
Mutualistic bacteriaan association between organisms of two different species in which each member benefits |
Mycoplasmaprokaryotic organism that does not have a cell wall |
MydriasisDilation of the pupil |
Myelin sheaththe insulating, fatty layer, produced by Schwann cells, that surrounds the axon in some nerves |
Myelographydiagnostic imaging procedure, whereby contrast agent is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid |
Myosincontractile protein found in muscle fibres |