Glossary of Terms
adult stem cells: Undifferentiated cells that are found in various specialised (differentiated) tissues of the body (eg in bone marrow, skin, intestine).
bioinformatics: The use of computing technologies to discover and manage systematic biological information by translating genetic and protein data into manageable forms that can be analysed and interpreted, often in conjunction with rapidly growing databases.
biomass: All the living organisms of a particular region, considered collectively.
bioprospecting: The practice of screening samples of plants, animals and microorganisms (often collected from the wild) for active chemical compounds or molecules that can be developed into patented and marketable commodities.
biotechnology: The understanding and use of biological processes and organisms for health, social, environmental and economic applications or outcomes.
biotechnology industry: A collection of industries - eg pharmaceutical, food processing, plant and animal agriculture, environmental management or minerals processing - which utilise some of the techniques of biotechnology.
blastocyst: A hollow ball of 50 - 100 cells reached after 4-5 days embryonic development just before implantation in the uterus.
cell: The smallest structural unit of living organisms that is able to grow and reproduce independently.
cell line: Cells of common descent and type cultured in the laboratory.
clone: A cell, group of cells, or organism produced from one individual cell through asexual processes that do not involve the interchange or combination of genetic material. The word 'clone' may be used as a noun or a verb.
cytotechnology: 'diagnostic cytopathology' = Involves the interpretation of cells that spontaneously exfoliate or are removed from tissues by abrasion or fine needle aspiration, eg specimens from the cervix (Pap tests), breast, thyroid, lymph node, liver, etc
de-differentiation: The process of inducing a specialised cell to revert towards pluripotency.
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): The chemical compound that constitutes the hereditary material of living organisms, ie the genetic code. The DNA in human beings is grouped into approximately 35,000 genes.
differentiation: The process by which less specialised cells develop into more specialised cell types.
embryo: A general term applied to the developing organism from the completion of fertilisation, until 8 weeks when the organism becomes known as a foetus.
enucleated: A cell from which the nucleus has been removed (usually an egg).
foetus: The term used for a developing human after the eighth week of development until birth.
functional genomics: The study of the functional consequences for a cell or organism of the presence, absence or modification of a gene.
gamete: A mature male or female germ cell, a sperm or egg.
gene: The carrier of hereditary characteristics, a piece of DNA that codes for the production of a particular molecule (usually a protein) used to make a part of machinery or tissue of an organism
genetically modified organism (GMO): An organism in which characteristic/s have been altered by a modification of the genome (for example, by the introduction of a modified gene from another organism).
genome: The collection of all the genes in a cell in an organism
genomics: The study of the organisation, structure and control of genes
genotype: The entire genetic constitution of an individual
gene therapy: Treating, diagnosing or preventing disease by introducing specific alterations in the genetic material of the human body
germ cell: A sexual reproductive cell (sperm or egg).
germ line: Cells from which the next generation of eggs or sperm will be derived
germplasm: The total genetic variability of an organism, represented by the total available pool of germ cells or seed
Intellectual Property: Can be defined as any product of the human intellect that is unique, novel and unobvious (has some value in the marketplace)
In vitro fertilisation (IVF): Technologies by which eggs and sperm are collected and united to achieve fertilisation outside the body.
monoclonal antibody: A highly specific antibody that is derived from only one clone of cells.
multipotent: Stem cells that are already partially differentiated but capable of producing cells of a certain type. Eg stem cells from bone marrow are capable of producing the different cell types present in blood.
nanotechnology: Functioning devices with moving parts that are only molecules in size, such as a biosensor with a tiny molecular switch as its central component
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR): A technique that provides information on the structural behaviour of complex molecules in their environments
nuclear replacement: see somatic cell nuclear transfer
nucleus: The cell structure that houses the genetic information (chromosomes).
nutraceutical: A plant or natural product that when consumed orally, confers a health benefit
oocyte: The female germ cell.
pluripotent: Cells with the capacity to develop into every cell type in the human body but not the placenta and umbilical cord. Pluripotent cells are not capable of developing into an entire organism.
primitive streak: A collection of cells which appears about 14 days after fertilisation from which the central nervous system eventually develops.
protein: A complex organic compound composed of numerous amino acids. Proteins occur in all living organisms and their production is coded for by genes
proteome: As the genome is the genetic complement of an organism, so the proteome is the complement of all proteins in an organism. Proteins may differ in the sequence of their amino acids or in chemical modifications which result in changed properties that can be identified
proteomics: The high-throughput separation, identification and characterisation of proteins from a biological sample - a complementary technology to genomics, but starting with the protein rather than the gene
SCNT: Somatic cell nuclear transfer is a technique that involves transferring the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated egg.
somatic cell: Any body cell apart from a sperm or egg.
somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT): A technique that involves transferring the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated egg.
sperm: The mature male germ cell.
stem cell: A cell with the ability to divide indefinitely and to give rise to specialised cells as well as new stem cells with identical potential.
stem cell line: Stem cells that are cultured in the laboratory and divide to give rise to more stem cells.
Therapeutic Cloning: (same as SCNT)
totipotent: Cells that have the capacity to differentiate into the embryo and into extra embryonic membranes and tissues. Totipotent cells contribute to every cell type of the adult organism.
transgenic: The introduction of a modified gene from one organism into another.
vector: The agent used to carry new genes into cells.
xenotransplantation: The implantation of an organ or limb from one species to another organism in a different species. When performed in animals 'rejection' of the transplant by the recipient's immune system is a common response.
zygote: The single cell formed when the male sperm fertilises the female egg. | 
