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Glossary of terms used on this site

Glossary of biology.

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Glossaries

Term Main definition
ileum
Glossaries - Biology glossary

last part of the small intestine; connects the small intestine to the large intestine; important for absorption of B-12

immune tolerance
Glossaries - Biology glossary

acquired ability to prevent an unnecessary or harmful immune response to a detected foreign body known not to cause disease or to self-antigens

immunodeficiency
Glossaries - Biology glossary

failure, insufficiency, or delay at any level of the immune system, which may be acquired or inherited

imprinting
Glossaries - Biology glossary

identification of parents by newborns as the first organism they see after birth

inbreeding
Glossaries - Biology glossary

mating of closely related individuals

inbreeding depression
Glossaries - Biology glossary

increase in abnormalities and disease in inbreeding populations

incomplete dominance
Glossaries - Biology glossary

in a heterozygote, expression of two contrasting alleles such that the individual displays an intermediate phenotype

incus
Glossaries - Biology glossary

(also, anvil) second of the three bones of the middle ear

indeterminate cleavage
Glossaries - Biology glossary

cleavage pattern in which individual blastomeres have the character of "stem cells," and are not yet predetermined to develop into specific cell types

induced fit
Glossaries - Biology glossary

dynamic fit between the enzyme and its substrate, in which both components modify their structures to allow for ideal binding

induced mutation
Glossaries - Biology glossary

mutation that results from exposure to chemicals or environmental agents

inducible operon
Glossaries - Biology glossary

operon that can be activated or repressed depending on cellular needs and the surrounding environment

inductive reasoning
Glossaries - Biology glossary

form of logical thinking that uses related observations to arrive at a general conclusion

inert gas
Glossaries - Biology glossary

(also, noble gas) element with filled outer electron shell that is unreactive with other atoms

inferior vena cava
Glossaries - Biology glossary

drains blood from the veins that come from the lower organs and the legs