Medical Terminology

• Intercellular bridges

  Located between or among cells
• Body fluid classifications

  • Plasma (liquid part of blood)
  • Intracellular fluid (fluid within a cell)
  • Intercellular fluid (fluid located between or among cells)
• Intracellular

  Fluid within a single cell
• Extracellular


  Fluid that is not contained within cells
• Interstitial

  Extracellular fluid filling the spaces between most cells in body tissues
• Interstitial fluid

  A type of extracellular fluid
• Plasma is also extracellular but is the liquid part of blood
• Dehydration


  Excessive loss of water from the body
• Hydration

  Absorption of water
• Interstitial fluid


  A clear liquid resembling plasma that fills the spaces between most body cells
• Oxygen and nutrients dissolved in blood pass through the walls of the blood vessels and become part of the interstitial fluid that surrounds and bathes the cells. The oxygen and nutrients are then absorbed through the cell walls for use within the cells.
• Blood


  A complex fluid that is pumped by the heart through the arteries, veins, and capillaries
• Intravascular

  The normal location of blood, within blood vessels
• Plasma


  The liquid portion of blood in which the formed parts (cells) are suspended
• Platelets


  One type of formed element in the blood
• The other two kinds of formed elements in blood are red blood cells (erythrocytes) and white blood cells (leukocytes)
• Electrolytes


  Molecules that conduct an electrical charge, such as calcium, potassium, and sodium
• Lymph


  The clear, watery fluid that flows within the lymphatic system
• Lymph is similar to interstitial fluid, but it also contains leukocytes and proteins that are active in the process of providing protection from disease
• Hidr/o


  Combining form for sweat (perspiration)
• Hydrocephalus


  Condition characterized by abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (hydr/o) within the skull (cephal/o = head), causing enlargement of the head, mental retardation, and convulsions
• Sial/o

  Combining form for saliva, the clear fluid secreted by the salivary glands that moistens the mouth, aids in chewing and swallowing, and begins the digestion of starches
• Ur/o


  Combining form for urine
• Purulent


  Pertaining to, consisting of, or producing pus
• Suppurative


  Pertaining to, consisting of, or producing pus
• Sanguinous

  Containing blood
• Hematocrit


  Measures the percentage of red blood cells in a volume of blood
• Combining form for urine

  ur/o
• Ur/o and urin/o mean urine
• Discharges from infected tissues

  Purulent<|>Suppurative
• Purulent and suppurative both mean pertaining to, consisting of, or producing pus
• The word part necr/o means death, not attraction
• The primary function of erythrocytes is to carry oxygen, not protect the body from infection
• The primary function of leukocytes is to protect the body against organisms that can cause disease, not produce leukemia
• Thrombocytes

  Initiate clot formation
• Nonspecific defense mechanism


  The body's first defense against pathogens and foreign substances
• Homeostasis


  Relative constancy in the internal environment of the body
• Skin


  Defends against foreign substances and pathogens by providing a barrier to prevent entry of a pathogen into the body
• Specific defense mechanism

  Cell-mediated immunity
• Mucus


  Slippery secretion of glands within mucous membranes