Category: Ah-Al

Also called allergic contact dermatitis, this is a red, itchy, weepy reaction where the skin has come into contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign, such as poison ivy or certain preservatives in creams and lotions.

A red, itchy, weepy reaction where the skin has come into contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign, such as poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac or certain preservatives in creams and lotions. This type of reaction reflects a specific sensitivity or allergy to a specific substance. Also called allergic contact eczema.

Inflammation of the whites of the eyes (conjunctivae), with itching, redness, and tearing, due to allergy.

A substance that can cause an allergic reaction. Common allergens include ragweed pollen, animal dander, and mold.

Pertaining to an allele, an alternative form of a gene. A single allele is inherited from each parent.

An alternative form of a gene.

In chemistry, a group of atoms derived from an alkane (a hydrocarbon with no carbon-to-carbon multiple bonds) by the loss of a hydrogen atom.

A genetic metabolic disorder due to deficiency of the enzyme homogentisic acid (HGA) dioxygenase. Deficiency of this enzyme leads to the three cardinal features of alkaptonuria (the presence of homogentisic acid in the urine), ochronosis (bluish-black pigmentation in connective tissue), and arthritis. Urine that turns dark is a characteristic feature.

Relatively too much base in the blood and body, an abnormal condition resulting from the accumulation of base or the depletion of acid. The pH of an alkalotic body measures above normal. The opposite of alkalosis is acidosis.

A medication in a class of anticancer drugs that inhibit cancer cell growth by stopping cell division (mitosis). The vinca alkaloids are also called antimitotic or antimicrotubule agents, or mitotic inhibitors. They were originally derived from the common periwinkle plant, have been synthesized, and include vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine and vinorelbine.