Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «K»:
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K (potassium)
K (potassium): K is the symbol for potassium, the major positive ion (cation) found inside of cells. The chemical notation for potassium is K+.
The proper level of potassium is essential for normal cell function. An abnormal increase of potassium (hyperkalemia) or decrease of potassium (hypokalemia)...
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K kingae
K kingae: Kingella kingae....
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Kala-azar
Kala-azar: A chronic and potentially fatal parasitic disease of the viscera (the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes) due to infection by the parasite called Leishmania donovani.
Leishmania donovani, the agent of kala-azar, is transmitted by sandfly bites in ...
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Kalemia
Kalemia: The presence of potassium in the blood. The word "kalemia" is seldom used today although it is the basis for the terms for abnormally high blood potassium (hyperkalemia) and low blood potassium (hypokalemia). See also: Potassium balance....
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Kanner syndrome
Kanner syndrome: (Also called autism). A spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in social interaction and communication,
and unusual and repetitive behavior. Some, but not all, people with autism are non-verbal.
Autism is normally diagnosed before age six and may be diagn...
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Kaposi sarcoma
Kaposi sarcoma: A relatively rare type of skin malignancy that tends to afflict elderly people or, especially, those with an abnormal immune system as in AIDS. Kaposi sarcoma is a highly vascular ("angioblastic") tumor of
the skin characterized by soft purplish plaques and papules that form nodules...
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Kartagener syndrome
Kartagener syndrome: A genetic syndrome characterized by sinusitis, bronchiectasis (widening and inflammation of the bronchi), dextrocardia (heart on the right side), and infertility. The syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.
Kartagener syndrome is usually due to mutation in the ge...
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Karyocyte
Karyocyte: Any cell that possesses a nucleus.
A neuron (nerve cell) is a karyocyte; it has a nucleus. A mature erythrocyte (red blood cell) is not a karyocyte; it lacks a nucleus.
The term "karyocyte" is made up of "kary-" from the Greek "karyon" meaning "nut or kernel" + "-cyte" from the Greek "k...
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Karyokinesis
Karyokinesis: During cell division, the process of partition of a cell's nucleus into the daughter cells. See also: Cytokinesis; Mitosis....
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Karyotype
Karyotype: A standard arrangement of the chromosome complement done for chromosome analysis.
For example, a normal human female karyotype would have 22 pairs of autosomes (non-sex chromosomes) arranged in numerical order together with two X chromosomes. The term "karyogram" is a less used synonym ...
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Karyotype, spectral (SKY)
Karyotype, spectral (SKY): A visualization of all of the chromosomes in the genome all together with each chromosome labeled with a different color. The SKY technique is useful for identifying chromosome abnormalities....
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Karyotyping
Karyotyping: The preparation, analysis, and interpretation of a karyotype....
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Karyotyping, flow
Karyotyping, flow: Use of flow cytometry to analyze
and/or separate chromosomes on the basis of their DNA content. Flow cytometry detects the
light- absorbing or fluorescing properties of chromosomes passing in a narrow stream
through a laser beam and with automated sorting devices can sort successi...
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Kashin-Beck disease
Kashin-Beck disease: A disorder of the bones and joints of the hands and fingers, elbows, knees, and ankles of children and adolescents who slowly develop stiff deformed joints, shortened limb length and short stature due to necrosis (death) of the growth plates of bones and of joint cartilage. The ...
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Kashin-Bek disease
Kashin-Bek disease: See: Kashin-Beck disease....
