Glossary - N |
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Necrosis
| What it's not: |
A flower garland, commonly worn around the neck by celebrated people in ancient Rome. |
| What it is: |
Necrosis is the death of tissue. And it’s messy. The cells release their contents into the surroundings, often inducing an inflammatory reaction. Necrosis can’t be fixed; and when enough tissue dies, the condition is called gangrene. |
Nucleic Acid
| What it's not: |
Cheap wine. |
| What it is: |
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) are made up of long chains of organic molecules called nucleotides. DNA is a doubled-stranded molecule with the now famous shape of a double helix. RNA is single stranded. And further, “If DNA is the set of master blueprints a cell uses to construct proteins, then mRNA (messenger RNA) is like a copy of part of the blueprint that a contractor takes to the building site every day. DNA remains in the nucleus of the cell; mRNAs transcribed from active genes leave the nucleus to give orders for making proteins.” Carol Ezzell. “Beyond the Human Genome”. The editors of Scientific American. Understanding the Genome. (New York: Scientific American Inc., 2002), Page 120. |
Nucleotide
| What it's not: |
A surfer’s term for an awesome wave, (dude). |
| What it is: |
A scientific term for organic compounds made up of a purine or pyrimidine (base pairs) joined up with a sugar & a phosphate group. Nucleic acids (DNA & RNA) contain nucleotides linked together in great long (fibrous and snot-like) chains. |
Nucleus
| What it's not: |
The grape slurry from which ‘nucleic acid’ is made. |
| What it is: |
In eukaryotes (protozoa, fungi, plants and animals including us humans), the cells in all these organisms, although wildly different in function and appearance, have similar general characteristics. One of the major ones is that all eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus. The nucleus, girdled by a double membrane, contains DNA all organized into chromosomes. Prokaryotic cells (bacteria and blue green algae) contain a little loop of DNA but no nucleus. |
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| What it's not: |
What genomes eat. |
| What it is: |
The study of the interaction between diet, genes and environment to affect human health. Our polymorphisms can influence our response to different chemicals, including food, and predispose us to various conditions – or protect us from disorders. |
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