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------- Forwarded message follows ------- The First Derivation Of Human Embryonic Stem Cells Glossary allogeneic: when describing transplantation biology, the donating individual is of the same species, but not ones self angina: a condition with severe and constricting pain, usually referring to the heart autologous: when describing transplantation biology, the donating individual is ones self blastocyst: in mammalian embryology, the preimplantation embryo consisting of a sphere of cells with an outer cell layer, a fluid-filled cavity, and a cluster of cells on the interior that is the inner cell mass cardiomyocytes: mature, differentiated heart muscle cells chondrocytes: mature, differentiated cartilage cells chromosomes: composed chiefly of DNA, they are the carrier of genes, the hereditary information cloning: a term that is applied to genes, cells or entire organisms that are derived from, and are genetically identical to, a single common ancestor gene, cell, or organism, respectively differentiate: to undergo a cellular progression to a more specialized type embryo: early stages of development in an organism embryogenesis: the process of embryo formation feeder layers of irradiated mouse fibroblasts: mouse cells which have been treated to prevent their division, but which produce important growth factors allowing ES cells to repopulate fibroblast cells: cells that give rise to connective tissue keratinocytes: cells that synthesize keratin as in the skin, hair, and nails gene targeting: the insertion of DNA into specific sites or genes within the genome of selected cells to alter gene expression for therapeutic applications genome: the genetic material (complete set of chromosomes) of an organism genomic technology: sequencing genes and their expression products hematopoietic: pertaining to the formation of blood cells hES cells: human embryonic stem cells, they are immortal (self-renewing), telomerase positive, and pluripotent homologous recombination: a process whereby a specific gene sequence within the genome is replaced with a related gene sequence using the cellular recombination enzymes inner cell mass: the cluster of cells within the blastocyst from which hES cells are derived implantation: attachment of a blastocyst to the endometrium in vitro: performed in an artificial environment such as a test tube in vivo: performed in a living organism in vitro fertilization (IVF): an assisted reproduction technique in which fertilization is accomplished outside of the body ischemia: deficiency of oxygen in a tissue due to obstruction of a blood vessel islet cells: cells of the pancreas that produce and secrete insulin; degeneration of islet cells is the cause of Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus karyotype: the chromosomal characteristics of a cell knock-out mice: mice that have had one or both copies of a specific gene deleted or inactivated murine: of or relating to the rodent family myocardial infarction: heart attack pluripotent: the ability to develop into multiple cell types including all three embryonic lineages forming the body organs, nervous system, skin, muscle, and skeleton severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice: mice with the majority of their immune defenses not functioning telomerase: an enzyme composed of a protein and an RNA template which synthesizes telomeric DNA at the ends of chromosomes and confers replicative immortality to cells telomeres: the ends of chromosomes teratoma: a non-malignant tumor consisting of different types of tissue caused by the growth of embryonic stem cells at an abnormal site in the body totipotent: the ability of a cell to give rise to all cells and tissues in the body including the reproductive organs undifferentiated: having no limited or specialized function or structure, as in stem cells zygote: cell formed by union of two gametes male and female germ cells http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/geron_stem_gloss.html ------- End of forwarded message -------