The spleen is a ductless, vertebrate gland that is not necessary for life but is closely associated with the circulatory system, where it functions in the destruction of old red blood cells and removal of other debris from the bloodstream, and also in holding a reservoir of blood. It is regarded as one of the centres of activity of the reticuloendothelial system. Until recently, the purpose of the spleen was not known. It is increasingly recognised that its absence predisposes to certain infections. Spleen - Anatomy. ...

Including:

• Spleen - Anatomy
• Spleen - Disorders
• Spleen - Absence
• Spleen - Etymology and cultural views

Read more here: » Spleen: Encyclopedia - Spleen

See also:

Spleen, Spleen - Anatomy, Spleen - Disorders, Spleen - Absence, Spleen - Etymology and cultural views

Read more here: » Spleen: Encyclopedia II - Spleen - Anatomy

The condition affects all major structures within the thorax and abdomen. Generally, the organs are simply transposed through the sagittal plane. The heart is located on the right side of the thorax, the stomach and spleen on the right side of the abdomen and the liver on the left side. Blood vessels, nerves, lymphathics and the intestines are also inverted. If the heart is swapped to the right side of the thorax, it is known as situs inversus with dextrocardia or situs inversus totalis. If the heart remains in the norma ...

See also:

Situs inversus, Situs inversus - Effect on anatomy, Situs inversus - Significance, Situs inversus - Kartagener syndrome

Read more here: » Situs inversus: Encyclopedia II - Situs inversus - Effect on anatomy

Anatomy (from the Greek ἀνατομία anatomia, from ἀνατέμνειν anatemnein, to cut up, cut open), is the branch of biology that deals with the structure and organization of living things. It can be divided into animal anatomy (zootomy) and plant anatomy (phytonomy). Major branches of anatomy include comparative anatomy, histology, and human anatomy. Anatomy - Animal anatomy. Including:

• Anatomy - Animal anatomy
• Anatomy - Human anatomy
• Anatomy - Major body systems
• Anatomy - Organs
• Anatomy - Bones in the human skeleton
• Anatomy - Glands
• Anatomy - Tissues
• Anatomy - Externally visible parts of the human body
• Anatomy - Other anatomic terms not classified

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In human anatomy, the thymus is a ductless gland located in the upper anterior portion of the chest cavity. It is most active during puberty, after which it shrinks in size and activity in most individuals and is replaced with fat. The thymus plays an important role in the development of the immune system in early life, and its cells form a part of the body's normal immune system. The thymus is also present in many other animals. When animal thymus tissue is sold in a butcher shop or at a meat counter, thymus is known as sweetb ...

Including:

• Thymus - Function
• Thymus - Anatomy
• Thymus - Development
• Thymus - Structure
• Thymus - Cancer

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Andreas Vesalius (December 31, 1514 - October 15, 1564) was a Flemish anatomist and author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, De Humanis Corporis Fabrica (On the Workings of the Human Body). Vesalius has been often been referred to as the founder of modern human anatomy. His name is also referred to as Andreas Vesal or Andreas van Wesel, depending on the source. Vesalius - Early life and education. Vesalius was born in Brussels, then in the Holy Roman E ...

Including:

• Vesalius - Early life and education
• Vesalius - De Corporis Fabrica
• Vesalius - Imperial Physician and Death
• Vesalius - Trivia

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The pancreas is an organ that serves two functions: exocrine - it produces pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes. endocrine - it produces several important hormones, including insulin. Pancreas - Anatomy. The pancreas is an organ located posterior to the stomach and in close association with the duodenum. In humans the pancreas is a small elongated organ in the abdomen. It is described as having a head, body and tail. The pancreatic head abuts the second part of t ...

Including:

• Pancreas - Anatomy
• Pancreas - Function
• Pancreas - Exocrine
• Pancreas - Endocrine
• Pancreas - Edibility
• Pancreas - Diseases of the pancreas
• Pancreas - History

Read more here: » Pancreas: Encyclopedia - Pancreas

The liver is an organ in vertebrates, including humans. It plays a major role in metabolism and has a number of functions in the body including drug detoxification, glycogen storage, and plasma protein synthesis. It also produces bile, which is important for digestion. Medical terms related to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word for liver, hepar. Liver - Anatomy. The adult human liver normally weighs between 1.0 - 2.5 kilograms, and is a soft, pinkish-brown " ...

Including:

• Liver - Anatomy
• Liver - Surface anatomy
• Liver - Functional anatomy
• Liver - Physiology
• Liver - Diseases of the liver
• Liver - Liver transplantation
• Liver - Development
• Liver - Fetal blood supply
• Liver - Analogous organs
• Liver - Liver as food
• Liver - Cultural allusions

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The kidneys are bean-shaped excretory organs in vertebrates. Part of the urinary system, the kidneys filter wastes (especially urea) from the blood and excrete them, along with water, as urine. The medical field that studies the kidneys and diseases affecting the kidney is called nephrology, from the Greek name for the kidney; the adjective meaning "kidney-related" is renal, from the Latin. Kidney - Location. In humans, the kidneys are located in the posterior part of the abdomen. There is one on eac ...

Including:

• Kidney - Location
• Kidney - Structure
• Kidney - Organization
• Kidney - Nephron
• Kidney - Collecting duct system
• Kidney - Functions
• Kidney - Excretion of waste products
• Kidney - Homeostasis
• Kidney - Hormone secretion
• Kidney - Terms
• Kidney - Diseases and disorders
• Kidney - Congenital
• Kidney - Acquired
• Kidney - Dialysis and kidney transplants
• Kidney - Medical terminology

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The thyroid is one of the larger endocrine glands in the body. It is located in the neck and produces hormones, principally thyroxine and triiodothyronine, that regulate the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. Thyroid - Anatomy. Thyroid - Gross anatomy. The thyroid is situated on the front side of the neck at the level of C5 to T1 vertebral bodies, just below the laryngeal prominence (Adam's apple), near the thyroid ca ...

Including:

• Thyroid - Anatomy
• Thyroid - Gross anatomy
• Thyroid - Blood supply
• Thyroid - Histology of the thyroid
• Thyroid - Physiology
• Thyroid - T3 and T4 production and action
• Thyroid - T3 and T4 regulation
• Thyroid - Calcitonin
• Thyroid - The significance of iodine
• Thyroid - Diseases of the thyroid gland
• Thyroid - Diagnosis
• Thyroid - Treatment
• Thyroid - Medical treatment
• Thyroid - Thyroid surgery
• Thyroid - History
• Thyroid - External link

Read more here: » Thyroid: Encyclopedia - Thyroid

Blood is a circulating tissue composed of fluid plasma and cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). Medical terms related to blood often begin in hemo- or hemato- (BE: haemo- and haemato-) from the Greek word "haima" for "blood". The main function of blood is to supply nutrients (oxygen, glucose) and constitutional elements to tissues and to remove waste products (such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid). Blood also enables cells (leukocytes, abnormal tumor cells) and different su ...

Including:

• Blood - Anatomy of blood
• Blood - Physiology of blood
• Blood - Production and degradation
• Blood - Transport of oxygen
• Blood - Transport of carbon dioxide
• Blood - Transport of hydrogen ions
• Blood - Color
• Blood - Health and disease
• Blood - Ancient medicine
• Blood - Diagnosis
• Blood - Pathology
• Blood - Treatment
• Blood - Mythology and religion
• Blood - Indo-European paganism
• Blood - Judaism
• Blood - Christianity
• Blood - Jehovah's Witnesses
• Blood - Vampire legends
• Blood - Chinese and Japanese culture

Read more here: » Blood: Encyclopedia - Blood

Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, "needle" (noun), and pungere, "prick" (verb) or in Standard Mandarin, zhēn jǐu (針灸), is one of the main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (others being herbal medicine and tui na). It is a therapeutic technique from that framework intended to restore health and well-being. The term acupuncture is often used by Westerners to refer to Chinese medicine generally. The technique involves the insertion of needles into "acupuncture points" on the body by trained practitioners. Th ...

Including:

• Acupuncture - Theory
• Acupuncture - An example of acupuncture practice
• Acupuncture - Benefits proven and purported
• Acupuncture - Potential risks
• Acupuncture - Controversy as to effectiveness
• Acupuncture - Bibliography

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Sefer Yetzirah (Hebrew, "Book of Creation[1]", ספר יצירה) is the title of two books on esoteric Jewish mysticism. The older and more well-known work of this title is also called the "Hilkot Yetzirah" (Hebrew, "Rules of Creation"), and is a thaumaturgical work that was popular in the Talmudic period. The following text came from the 1906 Public Domain Jewish Encyclopedia. This entry thus ne ...

Including:

• Sefer Yetzirah - Origin
• Sefer Yetzirah - Influence
• Sefer Yetzirah - The phonetic system
• Sefer Yetzirah - Cosmogony
• Sefer Yetzirah - The Creation
• Sefer Yetzirah - Theories of contrast in nature
• Sefer Yetzirah - Gnostic elements
• Sefer Yetzirah - Date
• Sefer Yetzirah - Thelmetic Interpretations
• Sefer Yetzirah - Foot notes

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The pancreas is an organ located posterior to the stomach and in close association with the duodenum. In humans the pancreas is a small elongated organ in the abdomen. It is described as having a head, body and tail. The pancreatic head abuts the second part of the duodenum while the tail extends towards the spleen. The pancreatic duct runs the length of the pancreas and empties into the second part of the duodenum at the ampulla of Vater. The common bile duct commonly joins the pa ...

See also:

Pancreas, Pancreas - Anatomy, Pancreas - Function, Pancreas - Exocrine, Pancreas - Endocrine, Pancreas - Edibility, Pancreas - Diseases of the pancreas, Pancreas - History

Read more here: » Pancreas: Encyclopedia II - Pancreas - Anatomy

After dividing for around five days, mature B cells differentiate into either plasma B cells or memory B cells. Most plasma B cells travel to the spleen or bone marrow to secrete antibodies (approximately 1000-2000 per minute), and live for only a few days. Memory B cells tend to be longer-lived and can therefore respond quickly upon second exposure to an antigen. The class of antibody that a plasma cell produces depends on signals, called cytokines, from other immune system cells, such as macrophages and T helper cells. This process ...

See also:

Plasma cell, Plasma cell - Overview, Plasma cell - Microscopic anatomy, Plasma cell - Role in disease

Read more here: » Plasma cell: Encyclopedia II - Plasma cell - Overview

The primary function of the thyroid is production of the hormones thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and calcitonin. Up to 40% of the T4 is converted to T3 by peripheral organs such as the liver and spleen. Thyroid - T3 and T4 production and action. Thyroxine is synthetised by the follicular cells from the tyrosine residues of the protein called thyroglobulin (TG). Iodine, captured with the "iodine trap" is activated by the enzyme thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and linked to the 3' and 5' sites of the benzen ...

See also:

Thyroid, Thyroid - Anatomy, Thyroid - Gross anatomy, Thyroid - Blood supply, Thyroid - Histology of the thyroid, Thyroid - Physiology, Thyroid - T3 and T4 production and action, Thyroid - T3 and T4 regulation, Thyroid - Calcitonin, Thyroid - The significance of iodine, Thyroid - Diseases of the thyroid gland, Thyroid - Diagnosis, Thyroid - Treatment, Thyroid - Medical treatment, Thyroid - Thyroid surgery, Thyroid - History, Thyroid - External link

Read more here: » Thyroid: Encyclopedia II - Thyroid - Physiology

Blood - Production and degradation. Blood cells are produced in the bone marrow; the process is termed hematopoiesis. The proteinaceous component is produced overwhelmingly in the liver, while hormones are produced by the endocrine glands and the watery fraction maintained by the gut and the kidney. Blood cells are degraded by the spleen and the Kupffer cells in the liver. The liver also clears proteins and amino acids (the kidney secretes many small proteins into the urine). Erythrocytes usually live up to 120 days before they are systematically replaced by new erythroc ...

See also:

Blood, Blood - Anatomy of blood, Blood - Physiology of blood, Blood - Production and degradation, Blood - Transport of oxygen, Blood - Transport of carbon dioxide, Blood - Transport of hydrogen ions, Blood - Color, Blood - Health and disease, Blood - Ancient medicine, Blood - Diagnosis, Blood - Pathology, Blood - Treatment, Blood - Mythology and religion, Blood - Indo-European paganism, Blood - Judaism, Blood - Christianity, Blood - Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood - Vampire legends, Blood - Chinese and Japanese culture

Read more here: » Blood: Encyclopedia II - Blood - Physiology of blood

The spleen, lymph nodes, and accessory lymphoid tissue are the secondary lymphoid organs. These organs contain a scaffolding that support circulating B- and T-lymphocytes and other immune cells like macrophages and dendritic cells. When micro-organisms invade the body or the body encounters other antigens (such as pollen), the antigens are transported from the tissue to the lymph. The lymph is carried in the lymph vessels to regional lymph nodes. In the lymph nodes, the macrophages and dendritic cells phagocytose the antigens, process them, ...

See also:

Lymphatic system, Lymphatic system - Lymphatic circulation, Lymphatic system - Secondary lymphoid organs

Read more here: » Lymphatic system: Encyclopedia II - Lymphatic system - Secondary lymphoid organs

From a utilitarian point of view the study of humans is the most important division of special anatomy, and this human anatomy may be approached from different points of view. From that of Medicine it consists of a knowledge of the exact form, position, size and relationship of the various structures of the healthy human body, and to this study the term descriptive or topographical human anatomy is given, though it is often, less h ...

See also:

Anatomy, Anatomy - Animal anatomy, Anatomy - Human anatomy, Anatomy - Major body systems, Anatomy - Organs, Anatomy - Bones in the human skeleton, Anatomy - Glands, Anatomy - Tissues, Anatomy - Externally visible parts of the human body, Anatomy - Other anatomic terms not classified

Read more here: » Anatomy: Encyclopedia II - Anatomy - Human anatomy

Hodgkin described the disease that bears his name (Hodgkin's lymphoma) in 1832, in a paper titled On Some Morbid Appearances of the Absorbent Glands and Spleen. He received 33 years later the eponym through the recognition of British physician Samuel Wilks (1824–1911), who rediscovered the disease. It is a malignancy which produces enlarge ment of lymphoid tissue, spleen, and liver, with invasion of other tissues. A more benign form is called Hodgkin’s paragranuloma, while a more in ...

See also:

Thomas Hodgkin, Thomas Hodgkin - Life, Thomas Hodgkin - Works, Thomas Hodgkin - External link

Read more here: » Thomas Hodgkin: Encyclopedia II - Thomas Hodgkin - Works