Biology, MIT-NIG

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

mitosis
mitosis, a process of cell duplication, or reproduction, during which one cell gives rise to two genetically identical......
MNSs blood group system
MNSs blood group system, classification of human blood based on the presence of various substances known as M,......
mold
mold, in biology, a conspicuous mass of mycelium (masses of vegetative filaments, or hyphae) and fruiting structures......
molecular biology
molecular biology, field of science concerned with studying the chemical structures and processes of biological......
molt
molt, biological process of molting (moulting)—i.e., the shedding or casting off of an outer layer or covering......
moneran
moneran, any of the prokaryotes constituting the two domains Bacteria and Archaea. The monerans are distinct from......
monoclonal antibody
monoclonal antibody, antibody produced artificially through genetic engineering and related techniques. Production......
mononuclear phagocyte system
mononuclear phagocyte system, class of cells that occur in widely separated parts of the human body and that have......
monster
monster, in biology, an embryo, a newborn animal, or young plant that is grossly deformed. The defects may be genetic......
morel
morel, Any of various species of edible mushrooms in the genera Morchella and Verpa. Morels have a convoluted or......
morphogenesis
morphogenesis, the shaping of an organism by embryological processes of differentiation of cells, tissues, and......
morphology
morphology, in biology, the study of the size, shape, and structure of animals, plants, and microorganisms and......
mosaic
mosaic, plant disease caused by various strains of several hundred viruses. A number of economically important......
mosaic evolution
mosaic evolution, the occurrence, within a given population of organisms, of different rates of evolutionary change......
motion sickness
motion sickness, sickness induced by motion and characterized by nausea. The term motion sickness was proposed......
mouth
mouth, in human anatomy, orifice through which food and air enter the body. The mouth opens to the outside at the......
mouth fungus
mouth fungus, fish disease caused by bacteria that attack the fish’s mouth and produce a fuzzy cottonlike growth,......
mouthbreeder
mouthbreeder, any fish that breeds its young in the mouth. Examples include certain catfishes, cichlids, and cardinal......
mpox
mpox, viral disease of animals, particularly certain rodents and primates, including monkeys and humans, that causes......
mucous membrane
mucous membrane, membrane lining body cavities and canals that lead to the outside, chiefly the respiratory, digestive,......
mucus
mucus, viscous fluid that moistens, lubricates, and protects many of the passages of the digestive and respiratory......
multiple birth
multiple birth, the delivery of more than one offspring in a single birth event. In most mammals the litter size......
multiple endocrine neoplasia
multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), any of a group of rare hereditary disorders in which tumours occur in multiple......
multiple sclerosis
multiple sclerosis (MS), progressive autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by destruction......
mumps
mumps , acute contagious disease caused by a virus and characterized by inflammatory swelling of the salivary glands.......
muscle disease
muscle disease, any of the diseases and disorders that affect the human muscle system. Diseases and disorders that......
muscle system, human
human muscle system, the muscles of the human body that work the skeletal system, that are under voluntary control,......
muscle tumour
muscle tumour, abnormal tissue growth located in or originating from muscle tissue. Tumours may either arise in......
muscular dystrophy
muscular dystrophy, any of a group of hereditary conditions that are characterized by progressive weakness and......
mushroom
mushroom, the conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting body (sporophore) of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales......
mushroom poisoning
mushroom poisoning, toxic, sometimes fatal, effect of eating poisonous mushrooms (toadstools). There are some 70......
musk
musk, substance obtained from the male musk deer and having a penetrating, persistent odour. It is used in the......
mutation
mutation, an alteration in the genetic material (the genome) of a cell of a living organism or of a virus that......
mutation theory
mutation theory, idea that new species are formed from the sudden and unexpected emergence of alterations in their......
myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), condition characterized by persistent debilitating......
mycelium
mycelium, the mass of branched, tubular filaments (hyphae) of fungi. The mycelium makes up the thallus, or undifferentiated......
mycetoma
mycetoma, fungal infection, usually localized in the foot but occurring occasionally elsewhere on the body, apparently......
mycology
mycology, the study of fungi, a group that includes the mushrooms and yeasts. Many fungi are useful in medicine......
mycoplasma
mycoplasma, any bacterium in the genus Mycoplasma. The name mycoplasma has also been used to denote any species......
mycorrhiza
mycorrhiza, an intimate association between the branched, tubular filaments (hyphae) of a fungus (kingdom Fungi)......
mycosis
mycosis, in humans and other animals, an infection caused by any fungus that invades the tissues, causing superficial,......
mycotoxin
mycotoxin, naturally occurring metabolite produced by certain microfungi (i.e., molds) that is toxic to humans......
myelin
myelin, white, insulating sheath on the axon of many neurons. Composed of fatty materials, protein, and water,......
myeloblast
myeloblast, immature blood cell, found in bone marrow, that gives rise to white blood cells of the granulocytic......
myiasis
myiasis, infestation of the body of humans and other animals with the larvae (maggots) of certain species of flies.......
myopia
myopia, visual abnormality in which the resting eye focuses the image of a distant object at a point in front of......
myxomatosis
myxomatosis, a highly fatal infectious viral disease of rabbits. It is characterized by fever, swelling of the......
Myxomycetes
Myxomycetes, phylum of funguslike organisms within the kingdom Protista, commonly known as true slime molds. They......
myxosporidian
myxosporidian, any parasite of the phylum Myxosporidia, also called Myxospora, traditionally placed in the kingdom......
myxovirus
myxovirus, any of a group of viruses of the families Orthomyxoviridae (agents of influenza) and Paramyxoviridae,......
Ménière disease
Ménière disease, recurrent and generally progressive group of symptoms that include loss of hearing, ringing in......
nagana
nagana, a form of the disease trypanosomiasis (q.v.), occurring chiefly in cattle and horses and caused by several......
nail
nail, in the anatomy of humans and other primates, horny plate that grows on the back of each finger and toe at......
nail-patella syndrome
nail-patella syndrome, rare hereditary (autosomal dominant) disorder characterized by small fingernails and toenails......
nasal gland
nasal gland, in marine birds and reptiles that drink saltwater, gland that extracts the salt and removes it from......
nasal polyp
nasal polyp, lump of tissue that protrudes into the nasal cavity and sometimes obstructs it. Polyps can form as......
nasal tumour
nasal tumour, abnormal growth in the nose. Tumours may be malignant or may remain localized and nonrecurrent. The......
natural childbirth
natural childbirth, any of the systems of managing parturition in which the need for anesthesia, sedation, or surgery......
natural selection
natural selection, process that results in the adaptation of an organism to its environment by means of selectively......
nausea
nausea, (from Greek nausia, “seasickness”), feeling of discomfort in the pit of the stomach that is associated......
necrosis
necrosis, death of a circumscribed area of plant or animal tissue as a result of disease or injury. Necrosis is......
necrotizing fasciitis
necrotizing fasciitis, rapidly spreading infection of the underlying skin and adipose (fat) layers caused by a......
nectar
nectar, sweet viscous secretion from the nectaries, or glands, in plant blossoms, stems, and leaves. Nectar is......
nekton
nekton, the assemblage of pelagic animals that swim freely, independent of water motion or wind. Only three phyla......
nematocyst
nematocyst, minute, elongated, or spherical capsule produced exclusively by members of the phylum Cnidaria (e.g.,......
neo-Darwinism
neo-Darwinism, Theory of evolution that represents a synthesis of Charles Darwin’s theory in terms of natural selection......
neonatal hypothyroidism
neonatal hypothyroidism, condition characterized by the absence, lack, or dysfunction of thyroid hormone production......
nephridium
nephridium, unit of the excretory system in many primitive invertebrates and also in the amphioxus; it expels wastes......
nephron
nephron, functional unit of the kidney, the structure that actually produces urine in the process of removing waste......
nephrosclerosis
nephrosclerosis, hardening of the walls of the small arteries and arterioles (small arteries that convey blood......
nephrotic syndrome
nephrotic syndrome, group of signs of kidney malfunction, including a low level of albumin (a protein) and a high......
nerve
nerve, in anatomy, a glistening white cordlike bundle of fibres, surrounded by a sheath, that connects the nervous......
nerve net
nerve net, primitive nerve arrangement forming the entire nervous system of many cnidarians and a part of more......
neural crest
neural crest, group of embryonic cells that are pinched off during the formation of the neural tube (the precursor......
neural oscillation
neural oscillation, synchronized rhythmic patterns of electrical activity produced by neurons in the brain, spinal......
neural stem cell
neural stem cell, largely undifferentiated cell originating in the central nervous system. Neural stem cells (NSCs)......
neural tube defect
neural tube defect, any congenital defect of the brain and spinal cord as a result of abnormal development of the......
neurasthenia
neurasthenia, a syndrome marked by physical and mental fatigue accompanied by withdrawal and...
neuroblastoma
neuroblastoma, a tumour of the sympathetic nervous system (the branch of the autonomic nervous system that is best......
neurofibromatosis
neurofibromatosis, either of two hereditary disorders characterized by distinctive skin lesions and by benign,......
neuroglia
neuroglia, any of several types of cell that function primarily to support neurons. The term neuroglia means “nerve......
neurohormone
neurohormone, any of a group of substances that are produced by specialized neurosecretory cells of the nervous......
neurolinguistics
neurolinguistics, the study of the neurological mechanisms underlying the storage and processing of language. Although......
neurology
neurology, medical specialty concerned with the nervous system and its functional or organic disorders. Neurologists......
neuron
neuron, basic cell of the nervous system in vertebrates and most invertebrates from the level of the cnidarians......
neuropathy
neuropathy, disorder of the peripheral nervous system. It may be genetic or acquired, progress quickly or slowly,......
neuroplasticity
neuroplasticity, capacity of neurons and neural networks in the brain to change their connections and behaviour......
neuropsychology
neuropsychology, science concerned with the integration of psychological observations on behaviour with neurological......
neurosecretory cell
neurosecretory cell, a type of neuron, or nerve cell, whose function is to translate neural signals into chemical......
neurosis
neurosis, generally outmoded term used to refer to mental disorders characterized by anxiety, depression, or other......
neurotransmitter
neurotransmitter, any of a group of chemical agents released by neurons (nerve cells) to stimulate neighbouring......
neurotransmitter release
neurotransmitter release, discharge of chemical substances known as neurotransmitters from a neuron in response......
nevus
nevus, congenital skin lesion, or birthmark, caused by abnormal pigmentation or by proliferation of blood vessels......
Newcastle disease
Newcastle disease, a serious viral disease of birds caused by a paramyxovirus and marked by respiratory and nervous......
Niemann-Pick disease
Niemann-Pick disease, inherited metabolic disorder in which a deficiency of the enzyme sphingomyelinase impairs......
night blindness
night blindness, failure of the eye to adapt promptly from light to darkness that is characterized by a reduced......

Biology Encyclopedia Articles By Title