central auditory processing disorder A neurological disorder in which a person has difficulty properly interpreting sounds received by the ears, particularly the phonemes of speech. Abbreviated CAPD. CAPD can result in difficulties with attention, speech production, and reading.
centimorgan A unit of measure of genetic recombination frequency. Abbreviated cM. One cM is equal to a 1 percent chance that a marker at one genetic locus will be separated from a marker at another locus due to crossing over in a single generation. In humans, 1 cM is equivalent, on average, to 1 million…
Centigrade A thermometer scale in which the freezing point of water at sea level is 0°C and the boiling point of water at sea level is 100°C. The Centigrade scale is used in most of the world to indicate the temperature on a thermometer, but the Fahrenheit scale is still popular in the US. This…
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention See CDC.
cellulitis A spreading bacterial infection underneath the skin surface characterized by redness, warmth, swelling, and pain. Cellulitis commonly appears in areas where there is a break in the skin.
cellulite In popular language, deposits of fat that have a cottage cheese-like texture. Medically, cellulite is not considered abnormal.
cell cycle The sequence of events within the cell between mitotic (cell) divisions. The cell cycle is conventionally divided into five phases: G0 (the gap); G1, (the first gap); S (the synthesis phase, during which the DNA is synthesized and replicated); G2 (the second gap); and M (mitosis). Cells that are not destined to divide…
cell cloning The process of producing a group of cells that are genetically identical (clones) to a single ancestral cell.
cell, reproductive See cell, germ.
cell, germ The egg or sperm. Each mature germ cell is haploid, meaning that it has a single set of 23 chromosomes that contains half the usual amount of DNA and half the usual number of genes. This makes germ cells notable exceptions to the usual rules governing chromosomes, genes, and DNA.
cell, delta See delta cell, pancreatic.
cell, beta See beta cell, pancreatic.