Glossary
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Angiogenesis
The process of new blood vessel formation, commonly induced in response to malignant tissue and certain diseases
Angioplasty
The process of dilating a blood vessel with a balloon, by inserting a balloon-tipped catheter (balloon angioplasty)
AP-1 Pathway
AP-1 is an intracellular pathway that, when triggered, leads to the production of many compounds (cytokines, inflammatory enzymes, etc.) that ultimately can lead to tissue destruction.
Cardiovascular System
This includes the blood vessels which circulate blood to and from all parts of the body, the heart which keeps the blood in motion, and the lymphatic vessels, an ancillary set of vessels, which circulate lymph.
Cartilage
A firm, flexible connective tissue structure composed of chondrocytes and a specialized extracellular matrix that lacks a blood vessel system.
Catheter
A tube for insertion into a body cavity for introducing or removing a substance. A balloon-tipped catheter is a tube with a balloon at its tip that can be inflated or deflated without removal after installation.
Device
An item other than a drug that has application in medical therapy. Usually, device is restricted to items used directly on the patient and does not include diagnostic equipment or surgical instruments.
Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug
An agent that acts by reversing the abnormal processes associated with diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).
Endoluminal
Pertaining to within a lumen.
Endovascular
Pertaining to within a blood vessel.
Hemodialysis
Dialysis, or separation, of elements in the blood, typically done with an artificial kidney, for the removal of toxins or waste products from the blood system.
Inflammation
The protective response of the body to irritation or injury, characterized by a cascade of immune events. This reaction can lead to the destruction of tissue.
In Vitro
An event that occurs outside a living organism, such as cell culture studies conducted in petri dishes.
In Vivo
An event that occurs within a living organism, such as testing the efficacy of a new drug in an animal.
Lumen
The inner space of a tubular structure, such as the inside of an artery or the intestinal tract.
Microtubules
Small building block-like structures that can be assembled to create a skeleton for a cell (cytoskeleton). These structures can aid in cell support, intracellular transport, and cell proliferation.
Pathology
The study of disease processes.
Perivascular
Relating to the outside of a blood vessel (i.e., adventitia).
Receptor
A binding site located on the membrane of a cell that responds to a specific molecule of substance.
Restenosis
The renarrowing of the inside of a vessel, typically a complication after angioplasty. The process is caused by uncontrolled neointimal hyperplasia (scar) formation and can lead to a blockage of blood flow.
Signal Transduction
The method by which a cell relays information from receptor binding to cellular response (e.g., cell proliferation in response to growth factor binding).
Smooth Muscle
Involuntary muscle tissue typically found in the walls of viscera and blood vessels.
Stenosis
The narrowing of the inside of a lumen, resulting in the obstruction of flow through the lumen.
Stent
A cylindrical medical device inserted into a body duct or tube to prevent collapse, a scaffold-like apparatus.
Surgical Adhesion
A process by which bodily tissues that are normally separate become scarred and adhere together; most commonly seen post-operatively.
Transcription Factors
Proteins that regulate, by inhibiting or promoting, the transcription of a gene (the conversion of DNA to RNA).
White Blood Cells
Key cells in the immune system and are essential in combating infections and foreign bodies. They are instrumental in inflammatory reactions.