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Anhydrous: The chemical form of a salt without water molecule. Example: copper sulphate-
anhydrous form, CuSO4 and hydrated form, CuSO4.7H2O.
Anion: Negatively charged ion aracted to the anode during electrolysis.
Anisocytosis: Marked variation in the sizes of erythrocytes when observed on a peripheral
blood smear.
Anopheles: The genus of mosquito that is the denitive host for the human malaria parasite
(genus Plasmodium) and is capable of transmiing the organism to humans.
Anterior: Situated in the frontal part.
Antibacterial: Directed or eective against bacteria.
Antibiotic: A chemical substance produced by a microorganism which has the capacity to
inhibit the growth of or to kill other microorganisms. The general term ‘antimicrobial
substance’ may not come from another organism.
Antibiotic sensitivity: Refers to the sensitivity of a microorganism towards an antimicrobial
agent. The test is done in the bacteriology laboratory.
Antibiotic susceptibility testing: Determining the susceptibility of bacteria to specic
antibiotics.
Antibody: Serum protein that is induced by, and reacts specically with, a foreign substance
(antigen); immunolglobulin.
Antibodies: Proteins that react with the specic antigens that stimulated their production;
present in the plasma; produced by lymphocytes and plasma cells.
Anticoagulant: A chemical that prevents blood coagulation.
Anticoagulation: The process of preventing blood clots.
Antigens: A foreign substance that induces an immune response by causing production of
antibodies and/or sensitized lymphocytes that react specically with that substance;
immunogen.
Antiseptic: A chemical used on living tissues to control the growth of infectious agents.
Antiserum: Serum that contains antibodies.
Antistreptolysin-O test (ASO): Antibody that opposes the action of streptolysin, a haemolysin
produced by streptococci. The ASO test is a serological test done in the diagnosis of
streptococcal infection.
Antitoxin: A substance that will neutralize toxins.
Anuria: Absence of urine production.
Apheresis: The process of removing a specic component, such as platelets, from donor
blood and returning the blood to donor circulation.
Aplastic: When the marrow stops making blood cells, it is said to be aplastic.
Aqueous: Watery, especially with reference to solutions having water as solvent.
Arteriosclerosis: A term applied to a number of pathological conditions in which there is
thickening, hardening and loss of elasticity of the walls of arteries. Atherosclerosis is a form
of arteriosclerosis which is oen aributed to hypertension, increased blood lipid levels
(especially cholesterol and triglycerides), physical inactivity and other risk factors.
Artery: A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues.
Artefact (or artifact): Anything articially produced; in microscopy, structures and features
produced by the technique and not occurring naturally (optical eect).
Arthritis: Inammation of the joints.
Arthroconidium: One of the small conidia borne in chains by various fungi; also called
‘arthrospore’. (Plural: Arthroconidia)
Ascitic uid: Serous uid accumulated in the abdominal cavity.
Ascus: A typically cylindrical sac in which the spores of ascomycete fungi develop.
Asepsis: Freedom from infection.
Aseptate hyphae: Hyphae without cross walls.
Aseptic: Without infection.
Glossary of Technical Terms
Aseptic technique: Work practices used to prevent contamination when working with
microorganisms.
Aspiration: Act of inhaling. Also means removal of uids or gases from a cavity by suction.
Assimilation: The absorption and utilization of digested food stus by the tissue cells.
Atherosclerosis: A form of arterioscloreosis in which lipids, calcium, cholesterol and other
substances deposit on the inner walls of the arteries.
Atrial: Of or relating to a body cavity.
Atypical: Not conformable to the type; in microbiology the term is specically applied
towards strains of unusual type.
Aüer body: A cellular inclusion body found in granulocytes (neutrophils) as needle-like red-
coloured objects in case of acute granulocytic leukaemia.
Auto-agglutinin: An antibody present in serum capable of causing agglutination of its own
red cells.
Autoantibody: An antibody directed against the self (one’s own tissues).
Autoclave: Equipment that sterilize materials by steam under pressure.
Autoimmunity: Immunologic reaction of the body towards its own protein (auto-antigen).
Systemic erythematosus is an autoimmune disease.
Autotrophic: Self-nourishing; usually pertains to green plants.
Average: The sum of a set of values divided by the number of values; the mean.
Azurophilic: Staining readily with azure dye (bluish).
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B
B lymphocytes (B cells): The type of lymphocyte primarily responsible for the humoral
immune response.
Bacillary dysentery: Dysentery caused by bacterial infection; Shigella is most oen the
infectious agent causing shigellosis. It is a bad form of diarrhoea with blood in stool.
Bacillus: A rod-shaped microorganism. (Plural: bacilli)
Bacteria: Minute, unicellular organism. (Singular: bacterium)
Bacterial meningitis: Inammation of membranes of spinal cord or brain (meninges) due to
bacterial infection.
Band cell: Non-segmented neutrophils; immature neutrophils.
Basilic vein: A vein in the upper arm that lies along the inner border of the bicep.
Basopaenia: Decrease in number of basophil cells as seen on dierential count.
Basophil: Any structure, cell or histologic element staining readily with basic dyes. In haema-
tology, basophils take the dark colour of methylene blue, a basic dye.
Basophilia: Abnormal increase in the number of basophils.
Basophilic stippling: Dark purple-coloured inclusion bodies (Wright’s stain) found in
erythrocytes, oen associated with lead poisoning and other blood-related disorders.
They are the remnants of RNA and other nuclear materials remaining inside the red cells
aer the nucleus is lost from the cell.
Beer’s law: A mathematical relationship that demonstrates the linear relationship of
concentration to absorbance and that forms the basis for spectrophotometric analysis.
Bence-Jones protein: A protein found in the urine of patients with multiple myeloma. When
urine samples are heated to 50–60°C, a precipitate forms. This disappears when the urine
is boiled and re-appears when the urine cools.
Benign: Not malignant or progressive, not recurring, favourable for recovery.
Bile: A thick yellow-green uid made by the liver, the concentrated in the gall bladder,
excreted into the intestine to assist in the emulsication of fats.
Bile obstruction: This is due to an impediment to the ow of bile from the liver to the intestine
(duodenum).
Bile pigment: Same as bilirubin.
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Bilirubin: A non-heme pigment derived from haemoglobin breakdown whose accumulation
in the body leads to jaundice. It is formed in the liver.
Biopsy: A diagnostic microscopic examination of tissue removed from the living body.
Biohazard: Risk or hazard to health or environment from biological agents.
Blank: Commonly applied in photometry or any other analytic procedure, which represents
the zero value of the analyte. In colorimetry, a cuvee is lled with water (“water blank”)
or the reagent (“reagent blank”) and this blank is used for the “zero seing” (absorbance =
0, transmiance = 100%) of the colorimeter before reading the absorbance of the unknown
or test specimen.
Blastoconidium: A holoblastic conidium produced singly or in a chain that detaches at
maturity leaving a bud scar. (Plural: Blastoconidia)
Blast cell: An immature blood cell normally found only in the bone marrow.
Blind sample: An assayed sample that is sent as an unknown to laboratories participating in
prociency testing programs.
Blood bank: Clinical laboratory department where blood components are tested and stored
until needed for transfusion; immunohaematology department; transfusion services; also
the refrigerated unit used for storing blood components.
Bloodbourne pathogen (BBP): Pathogens that can be present in human blood (and blood-
contaminated body uids) and that cause disease.
Blood coagulation: A sequential process by which brinogen is converted to brin through
the mediation of various coagulation factors. The result is the formation of a “blood clot”.
Blood group antibody: A serum protein (immunoglobulin) that reacts specically with a
blood group antigen.
Blood group antigen: A substance or structure on the red blood cell membrane that stimulates
antibody formation and reacts with that antibody.
Blood grouping: Finding a person’s blood group by the appropriate procedure followed in
the blood bank.
Blood groups: The dierent blood groups (A, B, AB and O) found in humans and designated
by the antigenic character of the red cells. The blood group is determined by reacting
(haemagglutination) with the corresponding antibody.
Blood incompatibility: Blood not compatible between the donor and the recipient. This is
tested by the procedure of cross-matching.
Blood transfusion: A procedure by which blood is taken from a healthy person or donor and
given to the patient or recipient.
Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): An expression of the urea concentration in blood; its rise in
blood reects kidney failure.
Bovine albumin: One of the plasma proteins of cow; used in cross-matching.
Bowman’s capsule: A component of nephron present in the kidney; it functions as a lter in
the formation of urine.
Bright eld microscope: Common light microscope with lighted background of magnied
darker objects.
Bronchopulmonary: Related to aecting the bronchi and the lungs.
Brucella: A genus of bacteria of the family Brucellaceae.
Budding: Asexual reproduction by division into two parts, the larger parent body and smaller
bud. For example, in yeast.
Buer solution: A solution that resists change of pH.
Buy coat: The layer of white cells and platelets between the red cells and the supernatant
plasma of centrifuged blood.
BUN: Blood urea nitrogen; a test measuring urea in blood.
Glossary of Technical Terms
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C
Cabot’s ring: A cytoplasmic inclusion body found in erythrocytes in case of various anaemias;
it has a ring-like appearance.
Calculus: An abnormal concretion of mineral salts formed within the body, for example,
renal calculus.
Calibration: The process of checking, standardization, or adjusting a method or instrument
so that it yields accurate results.
Calorie: Amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water to 1°C.
Capillaries: Very small blood vessels joining arteries.
Capillary puncture: Puncture of the capillary to obtain blood, for example, skin puncture.
Capillary tube: A slender glass or plastic tube used for laboratory procedures.
Carcinogen: A substance with the potential to produce cancer in human or animals.
Cardiopulmonary circulation: The system of blood vessels that circulates blood from the
heart to the lungs and back to the heart.
Capsule: A sheath of continuous enclosure around an organ or structure; also called capsula
(lile box).
Cardiac: Related to the heart.
Cardiolipin: A lipid-like substance obtained from fresh beef heart which has a non-specic
antigenic character and reacts with “reagin” (also called, Wassermann antibody).
Cardiolipin is used as an antigen in non-treponemal serodiagnosis of syphilis.
Carrier: A person who harbours an organism, has no symptoms or signs of disease, but is
capable of spreading the organism to others.
Cast: A gelled protein formed in renal tubules; its presence in a urine sample is related to
renal failure.
Catalyst: A substance that alters the rate of chemical reaction without apparently participating
in it; it is needed in small quantity.
Catheterization: Use or passage of a catheter (a tube used to withdraw uids). Catheterization
of urinary bladder is a standard technique to draw uncontaminated urine specimen; the
catheter is introduced through the urethra into the bladder.
Cation: Positively charged ion which is aracted to the cathode in electrolysis.
Caustic: A chemical substance having the ability to burn or destroy tissue.
Cell diluting uid: A solution used to dilute blood for cell counts.
Cell-mediated immunity: Immunity provided by T lymphocytes and cytokines.
Celsius (C) scale: Temperature scale having the freezing point of water at zero (0°C) and the
boiling point at 100°C
Centi-: A prex denoting 1/100 part. Example: a centimetre is 1/100 of a meter.
Centrifuge: An instrument with a rotor that rotates at high speeds in a closed chamber.
Cerebral zygomycosis: A fungal infection in the brain caused by a member of the division
Zygomycetes.
Cerebrospinal uid (CSF): The uid that is present around the brain and in the spinal cord.
Cestode: Belongs to the phylum Platyhelminthes, which includes tapeworms; member of
Cestoda family.
Chemotaxis: The movement of a cell or organism in relation to chemical agents.
Chlamydoconidium: A thallic conidium that is thick-walled and may be terminal or
intercalary. (Plural: Chlamydoconidia)
Chlamydospore: A thick-walled fungal spore, usually resting.
Chloroscope: An old-fashioned instrument that serves the purpose of a colorimeter. It is
widely used in testing chlorine in water.
Cholesterol: A monohydric solid alcohol; a widely distributed sterol in animal tissues.
It can be synthesized in the liver and is a normal constituent of bile. It is the principal
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constituent of most gallstones. It is important in metabolism, serving as a precursor of
various steroid hormones, for example, sex hormones and adrenal corticoids.
Choriocarcinoma: A type of gestational trophoblastic disease. It is a quick-growing form of
cancer that occurs in a woman’s uterus. The abnormal cells start in the tissue that would
normally become the placenta. In laboratory diagnosis, a pregnancy test will be positive
even if the patient is not pregnant. Pregnancy hormone (HCG) levels will be high.
Chromoblastomycosis: A skin disease caused by any of several pigmented fungi, marked by
formation of warty coloured nodules; also called ‘chromomycosis’.
Chromogen: A substance that becomes coloured when it undergoes a chemical change.
Chronic: Persisting for a long time, not acute.
Chyle: Milky looking uid of lymph and emulsied fat absorbed into the intestine aer the
digestion of food.
Chylous: Similar to or consisting of chyle.
Clavate: Gradually thickening towards the end.
Clean catch: A midstream urine sample collected aer the urethral opening and surrounding
tissues have been cleansed.
Clot: A semi-solidied mass of coagulum as of blood; blood clots because of the coagulation
process.
Clue cells: Vaginal epithelial cells covered with tiny, Gram-variable bacteria and seen in
vaginal secretions of patients with bacterial vaginosis.
Coagulase test: A test to dierentiate between Staphylococcus aureus and other Staphylococcus
spp.
Coagulation: Formation of a clot; most oen related to blood cloing and formation of brin
from brinogen.
Coagulation factors: A group of plasma proteins (and the mineral calcium) involved in blood
cloing.
Coarse adjustment: Control that adjusts position of microscope objective and is used to
initially bring objects into focus.
Cocci (s., coccus): A round-shaped bacterium, look like balls. Example: Staphylococcus spp.,
Streptococcus spp.
Codominant: In genetics, a gene that is expressed in the heterozygous state, that is, in the
presence of a dierent allelic gene.
Coecient of variance: A calculated value that compares the relative variability between
dierent sets of data.
Coenzyme: An organic enzyme component necessary for the function of the holoenzyme
which consists of coenzyme and apoenzyme. Example: NAD (nicotinamide adenine
dinucleotide).
Coliform bacteria: This group includes Aerobacter aerogenes and Escherichia coli. Their presence
in water, especially E. coli, is presumptive evidence of faecal contamination.
Collagen: A protein connective tissue found in skin, bone, ligaments and cartilage.
Colony: A dened mass of bacteria, localized, assumed to have grown from a single organism.
Colony count: An estimation of the number of organisms in urine by counting the colonies
on a urine culture plate.
Colorimeter: Any of the various instruments used to determine a solution’s color.
Commensal: An organism that lives with, on, or in another, without injury to either.
Communicable: Able to be transmied directly or indirectly from one individual to another.
Complement: A thermolabile protein formed in normal blood serum. It participates in the
coagulation process and is deliberately added to the system in case of complement
xation tests. Because of its interference in most serological tests (other than complement
xation), it is removed by heating the serum (56°C/20 min) before performing the test.
Conuent growth: Bacterial growth in which colonies overlap each other and cannot be
successfully picked out individually for subculture.
Congenital: Existing at the time of birth or born with defect.
Glossary of Technical Terms
Conidium: Asexual non-motile spores of a fungus; also called mitospores. (Plural: Conidia)
Contaminant: Any substance or biologic agent whose presence results in other substances or
biologic agents being impure, i.e., foreign organisms developing accidentally in a pure
culture.
Convalescent: Stage of disease in which the patient is on the way to recovery.
Counterstain: A stain that follows the main stain in order to color the cells or tissues dierently.
Example: Safranin in Gram stain or methylene blue in acid fast stain.
Counting chamber: A special piece of equipment for counting cells; also called a
haemocytometer.
C-reactive protein (CRP): A special protein found in patients with inammatory disorders
that reacts with anti-CRP.
Creatinine: The end product of creatine metabolism, following hydrolysis. It is one of the
important non-protein constituents of blood, and a rise in the creatinine concentration of
serum indicates renal failure.
Creatinine kinase (CK): An enzyme present in large amounts in the brain tissue and in heart
and skeletal muscle and that is measured to aid in diagnosing heart aack.
Crenated cell: With a notched or toothed edge; shrivelled up. Example: Crenated red blood
cells as an abnormal morphology.
Crisis: A time during the illness when the patient becomes very ill indeed.
Critical measurements: Measurements made when the accuracy of a solution’s concentration
is important; measurement made using glassware manufactured to strict standards.
Cross-matching: A way of testing the compatibility of donor’s blood with recipient’s blood
prior to transfusion.
Cryoprecipitate: The precipitate that results from the cooling of fresh plasma; it is rich in
factor VIII (coagulation factor) and used in the treatment of haemophilia.
Cryptococcosis: An infectious disease caused by a fungus of the genus Cryptococcus,
characterized by the production of nodular lesions or abscesses in subcutaneous tissues,
joints, lungs, brain, and meninges.
Crystals: A naturally produced angular solid of denite form; crystals are found in urine,
synovial uid and in other specimens; may have diagnostic signicance.
CSF: See cerebrospinal uid.
Culture: Growth of microorganisms in a special medium; the process of growing micro-
organisms in the laboratory.
Culture medium: A substance used as the substrate on which microorganisms may grow.
Those most commonly used are agar-based solid medium and broth (liquid medium).
Cutaneous: Relating to the skin.
Cuvee: A small transparent glass container, which holds liquids for photometric measure-
ments.
Cyst: The resting or inactive state of a protozoan.
Cystitis: Inammation of the urinary bladder.
Cytokine: Any of various non-antibody proteins secreted by cells of the immune system and
that help regulate the immune response; lymphokinase.
Cytology: The study of cells.
Cytomegalic: Causing or characterized by the formation of enlarged cells.
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D
D-dimer: One of the products formed from the breakdown of brin by plasmin.
Deaminate: To remove the amino group from a compound.
Deci: Prex used to indicate one-tenth of a unit.
Denitive host: The host in which the sexual phase of the parasite is seen.
Deionized water: Water that has had most of it mineral ions removed.
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Medical Laboratory Technology: Volume 3
Deoxyhaemoglobin: The haemoglobin formed when oxyhaemoglobin releases oxygen to
tissues.
Dermatology: The medical speciality concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of skin
diseases.
Dermatophyte: A fungus that grows upon the skin, hair, or nails.
Deuteromycete: Any fungus from the class Fungi Imperfecti.
Deuteromycota: A division of fungi comprising the imperfect fungi when they are considered
a division.
Dextrose: A simple sugar of the monosaccharide group, also known as grape sugar or glucose.
Diabetes: Usually refers to Diabetes mellitus, a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism,
characterized by increased blood sugar, (hyperglycaemia) and glucose discharge in urine
(glucosuria). Diabetes mellitus is caused by inadequate production or utilization of insulin.
Diabetes insipidus, on the other hand, is caused by inadequate secretion of vasopressin
or antidiuretic hormone (ADH). The disease is characterized by polyuria and polydipsia.
Diarrhoea: Frequent passage of abnormally watery bowel movements. It is a frequent symptom
of gastrointestinal disturbances. Acute diarrhoea is characterized by sudden onset.
Diastase: An enzyme that converts starches into sugars.
Dierential count: A determination of the relative numbers of each type of leukocyte on
stained blood smear; white blood cell dierential count; leukocyte dierential count.
Dierential media: These are the culture media capable of dierentiating bacteria, when
grown on them, by their morphological features, for example, MacConkey agar, Eosinemethylene blue (EMB) agar.
Dierential stain: Like Wright stain, it can dierentiate various blood cells by its colour
reaction.
Diluent: A liquid added to a solution to make it less concentrated.
Dilution: A solution made less concentrated by adding a diluent; the act of making a dilute
solution; the degree to which a solution is made less concentrated.
Dilution factor: Reciprocal of dilution.
Diplococcal (singular; diplococcus): Any of various spherical bacteria appearing in pairs.
Example: Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Disaccharide: Sugar that yields two monosaccharides aer hydrolysis; Example: Sucrose.
Disinfectant: A chemical used on inanimate objects to kill or inactivate microbes.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC): A bleeding disorder characterized by
widespread thrombotic and secondary brinolytic reactions.
Dissemination: Scaering or distribution.
Distilled water: The condensate collected from steam aer water has been boiled.
Diuretic: A substance which when taken into the body, promotes the secretion of urine.
Diurnal: Having a daily cycle.
DNA: The nucleic acid that carries genetic information and that is found primarily in the
nucleus of all living cells; deoxyribonucleic acid.
Döhle body: An inclusion body found in neutrophils in severe infections. Also called Amato
body.
Donor: A person who gives blood or an organ to be used in another body (recipient). A
universal donor is the one whose blood is of group O and whose blood is therefore usually
compatible with most other blood types. In actual practice, this compatibility rarely
occurs because of the many factors other than the major blood antigens (A, B, AB) which
determine blood compatibility.
Drabkin’s reagent: A haemoglobin diluting reagent that contains iron, potassium, cyanide
and sodium bicarbonate.
Du antigen: An antigen found as weak Rh-positive (Rh-variant) and recognized by reacting
with anti-D with heat followed by anti-human globulin reaction (indirect Coombs).
Dysentery: Stomach disorder marked by inammation of the intestine, with abdominal pain
and frequent stools containing blood and mucus.
Dysfunction: Impaired or abnormal function.
Glossary of Technical Terms
1263
E
Ectothrix: Occurring on the surface of a hair sha.
Ectparasite: A parasite that lives on the outer surface of a host.
Ectopic pregnancy: Development of foetus outside the uterus, extrauterine pregnancy.
EDTA: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; an anticoagulant commonly used in haematology.
Eggs (ova): The product of the sexual life cycle; refers to parasite eggs in the clinical laboratory.
EIA: Enzyme immunoassay.
Electrolytes: Substances that dissociate into ions when in solution, for example, Na+, CI–; they
conduct electricity through the solution.
Electrolyte solution: A solution that conducts an electrical current.
Elephantiasis: A chronic infectious condition characterized by pronounced swelling at
distal parts of the body specially the leg, which looks like an elephant foot (causal agent:
Wuchereria bancroi).
Elliptocyte: Elongated, cigar-shaped red blood cell.
Embolus: A mass (clot) of blood or foreign maer carried in the circulation. (Plural: emboli)
Endemic: Recurring in a specic location or population.
Endocarditis: Inammation of the lining of the heart and the heart’s valves.
Endogenous: Produced within or growing from within.
Endothrix: Penetrating or occurring within a hair sha.
Enrichment medium: A culture medium that encourages the growth of some organisms over
others (commensals). Example: GN broth favors the growth of Salmonella and Shigella;
faecal specimen is inoculated in the broth for overnight growth (18 h) and then plated on
a selective primary plate (Example: Salmonella-Shigella agar) for further isolation.
Enzyme: A special protein produced by living cells, which acts as a catalyst, accelerating
biochemical reactions. Example: Amylase (an enzyme) converts starch into glucose.
Enzyme immunoassay (EIA): An assay that uses an enzyme-labelled antibody as a reactant.
Eosinopenia: Fall of eosinophil count, opposite of eoslnophilia.
Eosinophil: A granular leukocyte that takes the eosin stain when the blood smear is stained
with the polychromic Romanowsky stain.
Eosinophilia: Abnormal increase in eosinophil count in the blood.
Epidemic: Disease aecting many persons at the same time, spreading from person-to-person
and occurring in an area where the disease is not prevalent.
Epidemiology: The study of the factors that cause disease and determine disease frequency
and distribution.
Epithelial cells: The surface cells of the body found in many body uids (urine, peritoneal
uid). Their increased presence may indicate pathologic condition.
Epithelium: The layer of cells forming the epidermis of the skin or the surface layer, inside or
outside, of an organ.
Epitope: A molecular region on the surface of an antigen capable of eliciting an immune
response and of combining with the specic antibody produced by such a response.
Erythroblast: A nucleated red cell prior to the mature non-nucleated erythrocyte; its presence
in the blood circulation indicates blood-related disorders.
Erythroblastosis foetalis: Haemolytic anaemia of the foetus due to incompatibility of mother’s
blood with her ospring. This is also called the haemolytic disease of newborn or HDN.
Erythrocyte: Another name for a red blood cell; contains haemoglobin and functions in the
transport of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the lungs, tissues and cells.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR): A haematological test that gives the rate of fall of blood
sediment (red cells) due to gravity when a blood column in a tube is le undisturbed.
1264
Erythrocytosis: Abnormal excess of red blood cells in the peripheral blood; sometimes called
polycythemia.
Ester: A compound formed from an alcohol and an acid by removal of water. Fat is an ester of
glycerol (alcohol) and fay acids.
Esterify: To convert into an ester.
Ethics: A system of conduct or behaviour; rules of professional conduct.
Euglobins: A globulin that is insoluble in water but soluble in saline solutions.
Eye piece: Component of the microscope, ocular.
Exchange transfusion: A process of blood transfusion in which the entire blood is exchanged.
It is a therapeutic measure to treat haemolytic disease of the newborn.
Exo-: Prex indicating without or outside of. Example: Exotoxin is the toxin produced by a
microorganism (Example: diphtheria, tetanus) and excreted into its surrounding medium.
Exoenzyme: An extracellular enzyme.
Expectoration: Clearing of secretions from the respiratory tract by coughing.
Extravascular: Occurring or contained outside of body vessels.
Exudate: An abnormal uid formed by a tissue, which accumulates in a cavity, or maer
that penetrates through vessel walls into adjoining tissue, or the passing out of pus or
serum. In comparison to a transudate, there are more cells, protein and solid material in
an exudate.
Exudation: Morbid oozing of uids, usually the result of inammatory conditions.
Medical Laboratory Technology: Volume 3
F
Facultative anaerobe: Organism that prefers to live as an anaerobe but will adapt to aerobic
conditions of growth.
Faeces: The waste from the bowel or gut discharged by way of the anus; also called stool,
excreta. It is the body waste such as food residue, bacteria, epithelium and mucus.
Fahrenheit (F) scale: Temperature scale having the freezing point of water at 32°F and boiling
point at 212°F
False positive report: A report which is sent out positive when it should be negative.
Fastidious bacteria: Bacteria that require special nutritional factors to survive.
Fat: An organic compound, necessary for the body nutrition; insoluble in water but soluble in
organic solvents (ether, alcohol); an ester of glycerol with fay acids and grouped under
lipids.
Febrile: Pertaining to a fever (feverish). Febrile agglutination is a serological test where
agglutination of bacterial cells is seen. Febrile transfusion reaction is the reaction seen in a
recipient following blood transfusion that results in fever and chill.
Femtolitre (fL): A unit of volume; 1015 L.
Fibrin: An insoluble protein that forms from brinogen (present in plasma) because of blood
cloing.
Fibrin degradation products (FDP): Degradation products formed when plasmin cleaves
brin or brinogen; formerly brin split products.
Fibrinogen: A plasma protein produced in the liver and converted to brin through the
action of thrombin.
Fibrinolysis: Enzymatic breakdown of a brin clot.
Field diaphragm: Adjustable aperture aached to microscope base.
Field of view: The view through the eyepiece of a microscope or any other optical instrument.
Filariae: Nematode worms, which live in the tissues. Example: Wuchereria bancroi.
Filariasis: A chronic disease due to one of the lariae species.
Film: A thin layer of blood or other material spread on a slide or coverslip and meant for
microscopic observation.
Filtration: The process of ltering or passing of a uid through a lter (e.g. lter paper) to
separate uids from suspending solids. The uid is called the ltrate and the solid is
called the precipitate or residue.
Glossary of Technical Terms
Fine adjustment: Control that adjusts position of microscope objectives and is used to sharpen
focus.
Fix, Fixation, Fixative: To x a tissue is to kill it and to keep it looking just as it did when it
was alive. It is commonly applied in histology. The goal of xing is to permit accurate and
undistorted microscopic visualization of the tissues. A xative is a substance that serves
to x or preserve pathological specimens. The process is known as xation.
Flaccid: So, abby, not rm.
Flagellate: A protozoon, which moves with the help of agella. Example: Trichomonas vaginalis.
Flagellum: Slender, lash-like appendage that serves as an organ of locomotion for sperm cells
and some protozoa. (Plural: Flagella)
Flammable: Very easily burnt (also inammable).
Flocculation: A aky precipitation.
Fluorescent: Having the property of emiing light of one wavelength when exposed to light
of another wavelength.
Fluke: A parasitic worm belonging to the class Trematoda, phylum Platyhelminthes. Most
ukes have complex life cycles which include asexual forms that live in a snail (mollusc).
Example: Blood uke, liver uke.
Folic acid: A member of the B vitamin complex.
Fungi: A class of organisms macroscopic or microscopic, mostly saprophytes, which may
be parasitic and possess plant-like characters but lack chlorophyll; lamentous (mould
form) or yeast-like; parasitic fungi-mycotic agents.
Fluorescence: A property of certain substances to emit light when exposed to certain types of
light radiation, usually ultraviolet. It is caused by the absorption of high energy shorter
wavelengths of light (below 400 nm) and emits simultaneously longer wavelengths of
light (yellowish-green).
Fluorescent antibody (FA): An antibody, which has been stained or marked by a uorescent
dye that glows under ultraviolet light; emiing a yellowish-green colour under uorescent
microscope when ultraviolet light is the illumination source.
Fluorometry: An analytical technique for measuring small amounts of a substance by detecting
and measuring the characteristic wavelength of the light it emits during uorescence.
Formula weight (FW): Weight of the entity represented by a chemical formula; molecular
weight.
Forward grouping: The use of known antisera (antibodies) to identify unknown antigens on
a patient’s cells; forward typing; direct grouping.
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G
Gamma globulin: A kind of plasma globulin that may originate from immunologic reaction
or other pathologic conditions (gammaglobinopathies); produced by lymphocytes and
plasma cells; several kinds of immunogammaglobulins—IgG, IgM and others.
Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT): An enzyme that is present in liver, kidney, pancreas
and prostrate, and that is measured to assess liver function.
Gastric: Belonging to the stomach.
Gastric juice: The digestive juice of the gastric glands of the stomach.
Gauge: A measure of the diameter of a needle.
Genes: Segments of DNA that code for specic proteins or enzymes and that are the structural
units of heredity.
Genotype: The allelic genes that are responsible for a trait; blood group genotypes AA and
AO appear as A by the haemagglutination reaction with anti-A; so called phenotype A.
Gaussian curve: A graph ploing the distribution of values around the mean; normal
frequency curve.