Glossary 585
corticoid hormones hormones of the adrenal cortex
cortisol (KORT-i-sahl) the principal glucocorticoid
hormone produced by the adrenal cortex that maintains
blood glucose levels by converting fats and amino acids
into glucose
cortisone (KOR-ti-sohn) a glucocorticoid hormone
produced by the adrenal cortex that is converted into
cortisol
coxal bone (KAHK-sal) the hip bone, formed from the
fusion of the ilium, ischium, and pubis
cranial cavity opening inside the skull that holds the
brain
cranial nerves 12 pairs of nerves that originate in the
brain and relay impulses to and from the PNS
craniosacral division (KRAY-nee-oh-SAY-kral) the
parasympathetic nervous system, in which nerves
originate in the brain stem or sacral region of the
spinal cord
cranium fused, fl at bones surrounding the back of the
head
creatinine (kree-AT-in-een) a normal by-product of
muscle metabolism; it is produced by the body at a fairly
steady rate and is freely fi ltered by the glomerulus fi
Crohn’s disease a chronic, infl ammatory bowel disease
that usually affects the small intestine or colon
cross bridges connections between the heads of myosin
fi laments and receptor sites on the actin fi laments
crossovers connections that form between homologous
chromosomes during meiosis, resulting in the swapping
of portions of chromosomes
cuboidal epithelia (kyoo-BOYD-al) epithelia whose
height is about equal to its width
Cushing’s syndrome a disorder of the adrenal cortex
caused by hypersecretion of cortisol; symptoms include
weight gain, high blood glucose levels, hypertension, and
osteoporosis
cutaneous membrane (kyoo-TAY-nee-us) another name
for skin
cutaneous sensory receptors specialized receptors
that are contained in the skin and are part of the
nervous system
cystitis (sis-TIGH-tis) an infl ammation of the urinary
bladder wall
cytoplasm (SIGH-toh-plazm) the part of a cell that
contains everything inside the cell membrane except the
nucleus
cytoskeleton a network of proteins that defi nes the
shape of a cell and gives it mechanical strength
cytotoxic T cell T lymphocyte that destroys foreign or
virus-infected or cancerous cells; killer T cell
D
data systematically collected and recorded observations
deafness the term applied to any loss of hearing, ranging
from a slight to a complete inability to hear
debridement the removal of dead tissue using a surgical
or chemical procedure
decidua capsularis (di-SIJ-oo-a kap-se-LAR-is) the
outermost membrane of the fetal sac
decubitus ulcers (deh-KYOO-bi-tus) skin injuries caused
by pressure or shear forces that restrict blood fl ow to one
or more areas of the body; bedsores
defecation the discharge of feces from the rectum
defi brillate fi to stop the heart
defibrillator fi a device that can deliver a therapeutic
dose of electrical current that momentarily stops the
heart, allowing its built-in pacemaker—the SA node—to
assume control and produce a normal rhythm
deformation the change in shape of the object to which a
force is applied
degranulate to release a cell’s (especially a mast cell’s)
intracellular stores of histamine, prostaglandins, and
other chemicals
delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) muscle
pain that follows participation in a particularly long or
strenuous activity, begins 24-73 hours later, and involves
multiple, microscopic tears in the muscle tissue that
cause infl ammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness
delivery of the placenta the last stage of birth in which
the placenta detaches from the uterine wall and is
expelled
dementia (deh-MEHN-see-a) an organic brain disease
involving loss of function in two or more areas of
cognition
dendrites (DEHN-drights) branches of a neuron that
collect stimuli and transport them to the cell body
dense elastic connective tissue a type of tissue whose
extracellular matrix is full of elastic fi bers
dentin a material similar to bone that makes up the body
of the tooth
depolarize to contract; the atria and ventricles depolarize
as the heart beats
depolarized a condition that occurs when the inside of
a cell membrane is more positively charged than the
outside
dermal papillae (pa-PIL-ee) protrusions from the surface
of the dermis into the epidermis
dermis layer of skin between the epidermis and
hypodermis; includes nerve endings, glands, and hair
follicles
descending colon the segment of the colon that extends
from the bend below the spleen to the sigmoid colon
descending limb the fi rst part of the nephron loop
through which filtrate fl ows; usually has a thick-walled fi
segment and a thin-walled segment
detached retina separation of the retina from the
underlying support tissue
detrusor (dee-TROO-zer) the smooth muscle that forms
most of the bladder wall and aids in expelling urine
deviated septum a large shift in the position of the
septum away from the center
diabetes insipidus a disorder resulting from
hyposecretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) by the
posterior pituitary
diabetes mellitus a disease that results from the body’s
inability to produce sufficient amounts of insulin to fi
regulate blood glucose levels
diabetic nephropathy (neh-FRAHP-a-thee) kidney
disease or damage caused by complications from
diabetes
diabetic retinopathy (REHT-i-NAHP-a-thee) damage to
the retina caused by long-term diabetes
dialyzer (DIGH-a-LIGH-zer) a machine that acts as an
artifi cial kidney
diapedesis (DIGH-a-peh-DEE-sis) the passage of blood,
or any of its formed elements, through the blood vessel
walls into body tissues
diaphysis (digh-AF-i-sis) the shaft of a long bone
diarrhea the occurrence of frequent, watery bowel
movements
diarthrosis (DIGH-ar-THROH-sis) freely movable joints;
synovial joints