Albino - Aldosteronism

albino

(al-bī′nō) [Portuguese albino, white] An organism, esp. a person, with albinism.

albuginea

(al″byŭ-jin′ē-ă) [L. albugo, stem albugin-, white spot, eye disease] A layer of firm white fibrous tissue forming the sheath of an organ or part, as of the eye, testicle, ovary, or spleen. SYN: tunica albuginea. albugineous (al″byŭ-jin′ē-ŭs), adj.

 a. testis The thick, unyielding layer of white fibrous tissue under the tunica vaginalis.

albumen

(al-bū′mĕn) [L. albumen, white of egg] 1. The white of an egg. 2. Albumin.

albumin

(al-bū′mĭn) [L. albumen, white of egg] Any of a group of simple proteins widely distributed in plant and animal tissues. Albumin is found in the blood as serum albumin, in milk as lactalbumin, and in the white of egg as ovalbumin. In the blood, albumin acts as a carrier molecule and helps maintain blood volume and blood pressure. In humans the principal function of albumin is to provide colloid osmotic pressure, preventing plasma loss from the capillaries. Albumin, like all the plasma proteins, can act as a source for rapid replacement of tissue proteins. In the stomach, coagulated albumins are made soluble by peptidases, which break them down to smaller polypeptides and amino acids. In general, albumins from animal sources are of higher nutritional quality than those from vegetable sources because animal proteins contain greater quantities of essential amino acids. SYN: albumen (2). SEE: amino acid; peptone.

 blood a. Serum a.

 circulating a. Albumin present in body fluids.

 egg a. Ovalbumin.

 glycated a. The amount of circulating albumin in the blood that is chemically bonded to sugar. It is serum marker of blood glucose values during the preceding 2 to 4 weeks.

 human a. A sterile colloidal solution of 4% to 5% serum albumin obtained from healthy blood donors, suspended in sodium chloride and water. It is administered intravenously to restore blood volume.

 ovi a. Ovalbumin.

 serum a. The main protein found in the blood. SYN: blood a.; seralbumin. SEE: blood; simple protein.

 urinary a. Albumin in urine, a marker of glomerular diseases.

 vegetable a. Albumin in, or derived from, plant tissue.

albumin-globulin ratio

ABBR: A/G r. The ratio of albumin to globulin in blood plasma or serum. Normally this value is 1.3:1 to 3.0:1.

albuminoid

(al-bū′mĭ-noyd″) [albumen + -oid] Resembling albumin.

albuminolysis

(al-bū″mĭ-nol′ĭ-sis) [albumen + -lysis] An uncommon synonym for proteolysis. SEE: proteolysis.

albuminous, albuminose