Biology, CHL-CUT

How do plants feed themselves? How did dogs evolve from wolves? What good is the appendix in humans, anyway? Such questions fall within the domain of biology, which seeks to understand living organisms and their vital processes (although the jury’s still out on what our appendixes are for). Biology’s diverse fields include botany, ecology, evolution, genetics, medicine, physiology, and zoology.
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Biology Encyclopedia Articles By Title

chlorophyll
chlorophyll, any member of the most important class of pigments involved in photosynthesis, the process by which......
chloroplast
chloroplast, structure within the cells of plants and green algae that is the site of photosynthesis, the process......
chlorosis
chlorosis, symptom of plant disease in which normally green tissue is pale, yellow, or bleached. It results from......
choanoflagellate
choanoflagellate, any protozoan of the flagellate order Choanoflagellida (sometimes classified in the order Kinetoplastida)......
cholera
cholera, an acute infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and characterized by......
chorea
chorea, in dogs, a disorder in which muscle spasms are prominent. It is usually associated with distemper, encephalitis,......
chorea
chorea, neurological disorder characterized by irregular and involuntary movements of muscle groups in various......
chromatid
chromatid, one of a pair of daughter strands of a replicated chromosome. Chromatids serve an essential role in......
chromatophore
chromatophore, pigment-containing cell in the deeper layers of the skin of animals. Depending on the colour of......
chromoblastomycosis
chromoblastomycosis, chronic fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues that is characterized by the......
chromosomal disorder
chromosomal disorder, any syndrome characterized by malformations or malfunctions in any of the body’s systems,......
chromosome
chromosome, the microscopic threadlike part of the cell that carries hereditary information in the form of genes.......
chromosome number
chromosome number, precise number of chromosomes typical for a given species. In any given asexually reproducing......
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), progressive respiratory disease characterized by the combination......
chyle
chyle, lymph laden with fat that has been absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. The fat globules,......
chyme
chyme, a thick semifluid mass of partially digested food and digestive secretions that is formed in the stomach......
Chytridiomycota
Chytridiomycota, a phylum of fungi (kingdom Fungi) distinguished by having zoospores (motile cells) with a single,......
Chédiak-Higashi syndrome
Chédiak-Higashi syndrome, a rare inherited childhood disease characterized by the inability of white blood cells......
ciliaris muscle
ciliaris muscle, muscle of the ciliary body of the eye, between the sclera (white of the eye) and the fine ligaments......
ciliate
ciliate, any member of the protozoan phylum Ciliophora, of which there are some 8,000 species; ciliates are generally......
cilium
cilium, short eyelashlike filament that is numerous on tissue cells of most animals and provides the means for......
circadian rhythm
circadian rhythm, the cyclical 24-hour period of human biological activity. Within the circadian (24-hour) cycle,......
circulation
circulation, in anatomy and physiology, the continuous movement of blood throughout the body, driven by the pumping......
cirrhosis
cirrhosis, irreversible change in the normal liver tissue that results in the degeneration of functioning liver......
Cladophora
Cladophora, genus of green algae (family Cladophoraceae) found growing attached to rocks or timbers submerged in......
classification
classification, in biology, the establishment of a hierarchical system of categories on the basis of presumed natural......
cleavage
cleavage, in embryology, the first few cellular divisions of a zygote (fertilized egg). Initially, the zygote splits......
cleft lip
cleft lip, relatively common congenital deformity in which the central to medial upper lip fails to fuse properly......
cleft palate
cleft palate, congenital deformity in which the palatal shelves (in the roof of the mouth) fail to close during......
cleidocranial dysostosis
cleidocranial dysostosis, rare congenital, hereditary disorder characterized by collarbones that are absent or......
climatic adaptation
climatic adaptation, in physical anthropology, the genetic adaptation of human beings to different environmental......
cloaca
cloaca, (Latin: “sewer”), in vertebrates, common chamber and outlet into which the intestinal, urinary, and genital......
clone
clone, cell or organism that is genetically identical to the original cell or organism from which it is derived.......
clonorchiasis
clonorchiasis, chronic infection caused by the Chinese liver fluke (Clonorchis sinensis), a parasitic worm some......
clostridium
clostridium, (genus Clostridium), any of a genus of rod-shaped, usually gram-positive bacteria, members of which......
clubfoot
clubfoot, congenital twisting of the foot. In the most common type, called talipes equinovarus, the heel bends......
clubroot
clubroot, disease of plants of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) caused by the funguslike soil pathogen Plasmodiophora......
cluster headache
cluster headache, Vascular headache that recurs in clusters. Cluster headaches, which occur predominantly in men,......
cnidosporidian
cnidosporidian, any protozoan parasite of the subphylum Cnidospora. The approximately 1,100 known species are characterized......
coagulation
coagulation, in physiology, the process by which a blood clot is formed. The formation of a clot is often referred......
coccidiosis
coccidiosis, any of several gastrointestinal infections of humans and other animals produced by sporozoan parasites......
coccidium
coccidium, (class Conoidasida), any of a large group of protozoan parasites of the sporozoan type. Coccidia live......
coccus
coccus, in microbiology, a spherical-shaped bacterium. Many species of bacteria have characteristic arrangements......
coccygeus muscle
coccygeus muscle, muscle of the lower back that arises from the ischium (lower, rear portion of the hipbone) and......
coccyx
coccyx, curved, semiflexible lower end of the backbone (vertebral column) in apes and humans, representing a vestigial......
Codium
Codium, genus of about 50 species of marine green algae (family Codiaceae) usually found in deep pools along rocky......
coevolution
coevolution, the process of reciprocal evolutionary change that occurs between pairs of species or among groups......
coevolutionary alternation
coevolutionary alternation, in ecology, the process by which one species coevolves with several other species by......
coffee rust
coffee rust, devastating foliar disease of coffee plants caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix. Coffee rust has......
cohesion hypothesis
cohesion hypothesis, in botany, a generally accepted explanation of the rise of sap in vascular plants by means......
cold-bloodedness
cold-bloodedness, the state of having a variable body temperature that is usually only slightly higher than the......
colic
colic, in horses, any of a number of disease conditions that are associated with clinical signs of abdominal pain.......
coloboma
coloboma, failure of one or more structures in the eye to fuse during embryonic life, creating a congenital fissure......
colon
colon, the longest segment of the large intestine. The term colon is often used to refer to the entire large intestine.......
colony collapse disorder
colony collapse disorder (CCD), disorder affecting honeybee colonies that is characterized by sudden colony death,......
colorectal cancer
colorectal cancer, disease characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells within the large intestine (colon) or......
colour blindness
colour blindness, inability to distinguish one or more of the three colours red, green, and blue. Most people with......
coma
coma, state of unconsciousness, characterized by loss of reaction to external stimuli and absence of spontaneous......
common cold
common cold, acute viral infection that starts in the upper respiratory tract, sometimes spreads to the lower respiratory......
comorbidity
comorbidity, in medicine, a disease or condition that coexists with but often is independent of another disease......
comparative anatomy
comparative anatomy, the comparative study of the body structures of different species of animals in order to understand......
complement
complement, in immunology, a complex system comprising a large number of proteins that act in concert to help eliminate......
complementation test
complementation test, in genetics, test for determining whether two mutations associated with a specific phenotype......
computational biology
computational biology, a branch of biology involving the application of computers and computer science to the understanding......
concussion
concussion, a temporary loss of brain function typically resulting from a relatively mild injury to the brain,......
congenital adrenal hyperplasia
congenital adrenal hyperplasia, any of a group of inherited disorders that are characterized by enlargement of......
congenital disorder
congenital disorder, abnormality of structure and, consequently, function of the human body arising during development.......
congenital heart disease
congenital heart disease, any abnormality of the heart that is present at birth. Cardiac abnormalities are generally......
conidium
conidium, a type of asexual reproductive spore of fungi (kingdom Fungi) usually produced at the tip or side of......
conjunctivitis
conjunctivitis, inflammation of the conjunctiva, the delicate mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the......
connective tissue
connective tissue, group of tissues in the body that maintain the form of the body and its organs and provide cohesion......
connective tissue disease
connective tissue disease, any of the diseases that affect human connective tissue. Diseases of the connective......
contractile vacuole
contractile vacuole, regulatory organelle, usually spherical, found in freshwater protozoa and lower metazoans,......
cornea
cornea, dome-shaped transparent membrane about 12 mm (0.5 inch) in diameter that covers the front part of the eye.......
coronary circulation
coronary circulation, part of the systemic circulatory system that supplies blood to and provides drainage from......
coronary heart disease
coronary heart disease, disease characterized by an inadequate supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle......
coronavirus
coronavirus, any virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae. Coronaviruses have enveloped virions (virus particles)......
cotyledon
cotyledon, seed leaf within the embryo of a seed. Cotyledons help supply the nutrition a plant embryo needs to......
cough
cough, an expulsive reflex initiated when the respiratory tract is irritated by infection, noxious fumes, dust,......
courtship
courtship, in animals, behaviour that results in mating and eventual reproduction. Courtship may be rather simple,......
cowpox
cowpox, uncommon mildly eruptive disease of animals, first observed in cows and occurring particularly in cats,......
coxal gland
coxal gland, in certain arthropods, one of a pair of excretory organs consisting of an end sac where initial urine......
craniopharyngioma
craniopharyngioma, benign brain tumour arising from the pituitary gland. Although most common in children, it can......
craniosynostosis
craniosynostosis, any of several types of cranial deformity—sometimes accompanied by other abnormalities—that result......
creative evolution
creative evolution, a philosophical theory espoused early in the 20th century by Henri Bergson, a French process......
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), rare fatal degenerative disease of the central nervous system. CJD occurs throughout......
cross-modal plasticity
cross-modal plasticity, the ability of the brain to reorganize and make functional changes to compensate for a......
croup
croup, acute respiratory illness of young children characterized by a harsh cough, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing.......
crown gall
crown gall, plant disease, caused by the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens (synonym Rhizobium radiobacter). Thousands......
cryoflora
cryoflora, algae that live in snow and ice. The well-known and widely distributed red snow (q.v.) is caused by......
cryoglobulinemia
cryoglobulinemia, presence in the blood of proteins called cryoglobulins that precipitate at temperatures below......
cryptomonad
cryptomonad, (class Cryptophyceae), any of several genera of small biflagellate algae occurring in both fresh and......
cryptorchidism
cryptorchidism, disorder in which one or both of the testes do not descend spontaneously to the usual position......
cultivar
cultivar, Any variety of a plant, originating through cloning or hybridization (see clone, hybrid), known only......
cumulative incidence
cumulative incidence, in epidemiology, estimate of the risk that an individual will experience an event or develop......
cup fungus
cup fungus, any member of a large group of fungi (kingdom Fungi) in the order Pezizales (phylum Ascomycota) and......
curly top
curly top, viral disease affecting numerous cultivated and wild plants worldwide. Diseased plants are usually stunted......
cuticle
cuticle, the outer layer or part of an organism that comes in contact with the environment. In many invertebrates......

Biology Encyclopedia Articles By Title