Medical Terms - D

 D

1. Degeneration- Process of becoming decline or deterioration, characterized by loss of size - opposite of growth. For example, the process by which tissue impairs its condition and loses its functional ability due to injury, aging, and wear and tear.

2. Demyelination - Loss of myelin form around nerve fibers, a type of fatty tissue that covers and protects nerves throughout the body.

Demyelination condition causes neurological deficits, such as vision changes, behavioral or cognitive problems, numbness (lost, reduced, or altered sensation) and weakness.

3. Desmoid (tumor)- A desmoid tumor is a non-cancerous, abnormal growth that occurs in the connective tissue, which is the tissue that provides strength and flexibility to structures such as ligaments, bones, and muscles.

Desmoid tumors most often occur in the arms, legs, and abdomen due to connective tissue proliferation related to fibromatosis (a condition where fibrous overgrowths of connective tissue), develop tumors. These are usually benign (non-cancerous).

4. Desmoplasia- Proliferation of fibrous tissue means the growth of fibrous or connective tissue by a proliferation of fibroblasts.

Desmoplasia may occur around a disease usually in neoplasm or cancer, or causing dense fibrosis around the tumor, or adhesions of scar tissue (fibrous tissue) within the abdomen after abdominal surgery.  

5. Diapedesis - Migration or movement of blood cells through capillary walls into the body tissues, especially white blood cells (leucocytes), through intact (unruptured) capillary walls into surrounding body tissue.

Movement of leukocytes (white blood cells) out of the circulatory system and towards the site of tissue damage or infection.

6. Differentiation – Development or change in functional capacity in a new cell.

7. Diffuse – It refers to the spread out or dispersed, not concentrated, spreading of something.  

The movement of a molecule from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration is known as diffusion. In which the spread of particles through random motion. For example, diffuse perfume fragrance throughout the entire room.

8. Diploid - Diploid cell or somatic cells is a cell that contains two complete sets of chromosomes (paired chromosomes, one from each parent means one chromosome from the mother and one from the father). In a diploid cell (2n)  , each pair of chromosomes is considered to be a homologous chromosome set. This is double the haploid (n)  chromosome number.

 

 In humans, diploid cells have 2n= 46 (23 pairs of chromosomes).

During Mitosis, the parent, diploid cell (2n),is divided to produce two identical, diploid (2n), daughter cells. Examples of diploid cells (2n) include skin cells and muscle cells. Mitosis produces 2 diploid cells, which means produces two clones of itself.

Germ line cells is the sex cells (eggs and sperm), also called gametes are haploid (n), which means they contain a single set of chromosomes. The meiosis process produces 4 four daughter cells that are haploid cells.

9. Diverticulum/Diverticula – Condition in which outpouching of a hollow (or a fluid-filled) structure in the body.

For example intestinal diverticulum; small, bulging pouches (pocket)   that can form in the lining of your digestive system, most often in  form in the wall of large intestine (colon).

Bladder diverticulum; tiny bulges, pouch in the bladder wall.

10. Dystrophy- “Degeneration of tissue, due to disease or malnutrition or due to heredity”

For example, muscular dystrophy; abnormal development of a tissue or diseases that cause progressive weakness and wasting away of muscle tissue (muscle wasting).