L
- lamina propria
- A thin layer of connective tissue that supports the epithelium in tubular organs like the intestine.
- lapine
- Pertaining to rabbits.
- lateral
- Away from the midline of the body. His sideburns are on the lateral surface of his head.
- leptin
- a hormone produced by fat cells that participates in control of food intake
- lesion
- Any pathologic abnormality of a tissue or organ. Examples include a spear wound or a cancer.
- ligand
- A molecule that binds to a specific site on another molecule. Usually, the ligand is a hormone and the molecule to which it binds is a receptor. Example: insulin is the ligand for the insulin receptor.
- ligase
- An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of phosphodiester bonds in DNA. The enzyme from T4 bacteriophage is widely used in recombinant DNA work.
- ligation
- To tie together or tie off. Examples include ligating a blood vessel to stop it bleeding, or ligating fragments of DNA together enzymatically.
- liver
- A large abdominal organ that plays a critical role in digestion and metabolism.
- lumen
- The cavity inside a tubular or hollow organ (blood vessel, intestine, uterus). Example: the lumen of the dog's ventricle was virtually filled with heartworms.
- luteinizing hormone
- A glycoprotein hormone secreted from the anterior pituitary gland that controls several aspects of reproductive function.
- lyse (lysis)
- To lyse is to cause something to disintegrate or decompose. Lysis is the process of disintegration. Many viruses cause their host cells to undergo lysis.
Last updated on 10/2/2004