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Glossary of Terms

This list of terms might help you better understand the science behind ACell. These words are used frequently in the case studies, research articles, etc.

Term	Definition
Acellular	Having no cells
Accomodative response	Response of a body to a foreign substance in the body without rejection. I.e. A pregnant woman’s response to her own fetus.
Anastomoses	End to end joining of tissue, usually intestine.
Angiogenesis	The formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels.
Biological Degradation	The process by which a material is broken down/degraded/resorbed by the body.
Bioscaffold	A biological (derived from living) material that acts as a template for tissue/organ repair or replacement.
Chondrocyte	a mature cartilage cell
Constructive Remodeling	A descriptive term for the biologic response that occurs when differentiated tissues replace damaged tissues, and this process results in an appropriately organized collection of healthy tissue.
Enterotomy	Surgical opening into the intestine
Epitheliazation	Coverage of a wound surface with epithelial cells (keratinocytes)
Extracellular Matrix	The proteins which surround cells....these are entirely outside of the cell membrane and consist of both structural and functional proteins
Fibroblast	An spindle cell that secretes connective tissue proteins, such as collagen.
Granulation Tissue	The type of healthy, vascularized tissue that tends to form on a wound bed when healing is progressing in a positive/favorable manner.
Growth Factors	Small proteins/peptides that cause a specific biologic response.
Host Derived	Originating in the host/recipient/patient.
Inductive Template	A scaffold that elicits a proactive biologic response.
Keloid	Excessive scar tissue formation....an undesirable result.
Keratinocyte	A stratified squamous epithelial cell secreting site specific keratin proteins.
Lyophilized	Freeze dried
Magainins/Cecropins/Defensins	A family of naturally occurring small peptides with antibacterial properties.
Multi-potential Cells	Cells with the capacity to become different mature cells....e.g.,...muscle cells, fat cells, fibroblasts, etc....a type of stem cell.
Neovascularization	New blood vessel formation.
Progenitor Cells	Precursor cells, usually with multipotential differentiation capacity.
Regeneration	The reformation of tissue which is an exact replica of the original tissue.
Remodeling	Changing, usually in a positive manner, of tissue....term used to describe wound healing.
Scaffold	Template for tissue/organ repair or replacement
Site Specific	Unique to the location in the body
Tissue Engineering	The application of the principles of engineering to the life sciences for the purpose of replacing or repairing damaged or missing tissue structures.
Basement Membrane	A type of ECM that normally resides immediately beneath epithelial cells......the substrate upon which epithelial cells attach, grow and differentiate.
Tunica Propria (of UBM)	The layer of connective tissue immediately subjacent to the basement membrane of the urinary bladder....consisting of structural and functional proteins that support cell and tissue growth.
Submucosa	A specific histologic structure that resides beneath certain types of mucosal epithelium....in the urinary bladder, this layer resides subjacent to the tunica propria.

 

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