A sex chromosome in certain animals, such as chickens, turkeys, and moths. In humans, males are XY and females XX, but in animals with a Z chromosome, males are ZZ and females are WZ.

Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70. A member of the protein tyrosine kinase family, ZAP-70 is normally expressed in T cells and natural killer cells and has a critical role in the initiation of T-cell signaling. ZAP-70 is expressed in T cells and tumors of T-cell lineage. A high level of ZAP-70 expression appears restricted to T-cell […]

‘When you hear hoof beats, think of horses, not zebras.’ For example, when someone develops a mild transient cough, a virus infection is the most logical and likely cause, and tuberculosis is a zebra.

A gene that is lethal (fatal) for the zygote, the cell formed by the union of a sperm (male sex cell) and an ovum (female sex cell). The zygote would normally develop into an embryo, as instructed by the genetic material within the unified cell. However, a zygotic lethal gene scotches prenatal development at its […]

A technique in which a woman’s egg is fertilized outside the body, then implanted in one of her fallopian tubes. This technique is one of the methods used to overcome infertility, the inability of couples to produce offspring on their own. First, the egg and the male sperm needed to fertilize it are harvested. Then […]

The bone that forms the prominence of the cheek. Also known as zygomatic bone, zygomatic arch, malar bone, and yoke bone.

One of the four bases in DNA that make up the letters ATGC. Guanine is the “G”. The others are adenine, cytosine, and thymine. Guanine always pairs with cytosine to form the base pair G-C (guanine-cytosine) in the DNA. The other base pair in the DNA is A-T (adenine-thymine). Each base pair forms a rung […]

Air hunger, or the rapid, deep, and labored breathing characteristic of patients with acidosis (excess acidity of tissues). For example, Kussmaul breathing is seen with the acidosis of diabetes mellitus that is seriously out of control. Treatment is directed toward controlling the underlying disease.

A life-threatening allergic reaction characterized by a swelling of body tissues including the throat, difficulty in breathing, and a sudden fall in blood pressure.

An abscess that occurs in the cleft between the buttocks at the base of the tailbone (coccyx). Pilonidal cysts are common in adolescence, often after long trips that involve sitting.