Medical Dictionary

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κ, upper case: K
Kappa, the tenth letter in the Greek alphabet.

K

dissociation constant
ionization constant
kalium (Potasium)
kelvin
kinetic energy
luminous efficiency
lysine
lysyl
phylloquinone
Potassium (L. kalium)
The coefficient of scleral rigidity (in optics).
The radius of curvature of the flattest meridian of the apical cornea (in contact lens fitting).

39K
Symbol for potassium-39.

40K
Symbol for potassium-40.

42K
Symbol for potassium-42.

43K
Symbol for potassium-43.

K-Dur
Brand name of a sustained-release preparation of potassium chloride for oral administration.

Ka
Symbol for dissociation constant of an acid; association constant (2) (often used with gases).

Kb
Symbol for dissociation constant of a base.

Kd
Symbol for dissociation constant.

Keq
Symbol for equilibrium constant.

Ki
Symbol for the dissociation constant of an inhibitor; in enzyme kinetics, Kii reflects the values of Ki that affect the intercept of a double-reciprocal plot, whereas Kis reflects the values of Ki that affect the slope of the same plot.

Km
Symbol for Michaelis constant; Michaelis-Menten constant.

Kw
Symbol for autoprotolysis constant of water.

k
Symbol for kilo-.

k
Symbol for rate constants, under constant or velocity constants, under constant; Boltzmann constant.

kcat
The overall catalytic rate of an enzyme; symbol for turnover number; Vmax divided by the total enzyme concentration.

kabure (kah-boo′re)
SYN: schistosomiasis japonica.

Kaes
Theodor, German neurologist, 1852–1913. See line of K., band of K.-Bechterew.

kafindo (ka-fin′do)
SYN: onyalai.

kainic acid (ka′in-ik)
A glutamate analog that exhibits powerful and long-acting excitatory and toxic activity on neurons; used as a research tool in neurobiology to destroy neurons and as an activator of glutamate receptors. Has been used as an anthelmintic against nematodes.

kairomones (ki′ro-mon)
Chemical messengers that are emitted by organisms of one species but benefit or affect organisms of another species; for example, a flower scent used to attract or repel other species. Cf.:pheromones, allomones.

Kaiserling
Karl, German pathologist, 1869–1942. See K. fixative.

kak-, kako-
See caco-.

kal-, kali-
Potassium; sometimes improperly written as kalio-. [L. kalium, potassium]

kala azar (kah′lah ah-zahr′)
SYN: visceral leishmaniasis. [Hind. kala, black, + azar, poison]

kalemia (ka-le′me-a)
The presence of potassium in the blood.

kaliopenia (ka′le-o-pe′ne-a)
Insufficiency of potassium in the body. SEE ALSO: hypokalemia. [Mod. L. kalium, potassium, + G. penia, poverty]

kaliopenic (ka′le-o-pe′nik)
Relating to kaliopenia.

Kalischer
Siegfried, German physician, *1862. See Sturge-K.-Weber syndrome.

kalium (K) (ka′le-um)
SYN: potassium. [Mod. L. fr. Ar. quali, potash]

kaliuresis (ka′le-u-re′sis)
SYN: kaluresis.

kaliuretic (ka′le-u-ret′ik)
SYN: kaluretic.

kallidin (kal′i-din)
Bradykinin with a lysyl group attached to the amino terminus; this group can be removed by an aminopeptidase in the blood to yield bradykinin; a decapeptide vasodilator. SYN: bradykininogen, k. 10, k. II, lysyl-bradykinin. k. 9 SYN: bradykinin. k. 10 SYN: k.. k. I SYN: bradykinin. k. II SYN: k..

Kallikak (kal′i-kak)
The pseudonym for a celebrated family with two lines of descendants, one of respectable citizens, the other of social misfits and criminals. SEE ALSO: Jukes.

kallikrein (kal-i-kre′in)
A group of enzymes ( e.g., plasma, tissue, pancreatic, urinary, submandibular k.) that can convert kininogen by proteolysis to bradykinin or kallidin; trypsin and plasmin can also effect the conversion; plasma k. activates the Hageman factor and acts on kininogen. Tissue k. is a serine endopeptidase that can generate kallidin from kininogen. SYN: kininogenase, kininogenin. human glandular k. 3 (hK3) SYN: prostate-specific antigen.

Kallmann
Franz Josef, U.S. medical geneticist and psychiatrist, 1897–1965. See K. syndrome.

kaluresis (kal-u-re′sis)
The increased urinary excretion of potassium. SYN: kaliuresis. [Mod. L. kalium, potassium, + G. ouresis, urination]

kaluretic (kal-u-ret′ik)
Relating to, causing, or characterized by kaluresis. SYN: kaliuretic.

Kandori
Fumio, Japanese ophthalmologist, *1904. See fleck retina of K..

Kanner
Leo, Austrian psychiatrist in U.S., 1894–1981. See K. syndrome.

kanyemba (kan-yem′ba)
SYN: chiufa.

kaodzera (kah′od-ze′ra)
A disease prevalent in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia), similar to sleeping sickness, caused by Trypanosoma rhodesiense. SEE ALSO: Rhodesian trypanosomiasis.

kaolin (ka′o-lin)
Hydrated aluminum silicate; when powdered and freed from gritty particles by elution, k. is used as a demulcent and adsorbent; in dentistry, it is used to add toughness and opacity to porcelain teeth. SYN: aluminum silicate. [Ch. kao lin, High Ridge, name of a locality in China where the substance is found in abundance]

kaolinosis (ka′o-lin-o′sis)
Pneumonoconiosis caused by the inhalation of clay dust.

Kaposi
Moritz, (born Moritz Kohn), Hungarian dermatologist in Austria, 1837–1902. See K. varicelliform eruption, K. sarcoma.

kappa (κ) (kap′a)
1. The tenth letter in the Greek alphabet. 2. In chemistry, denotes the position of a substituent located on the tenth atom from the carboxyl or other functional group. 3. A measure of the degree of nonrandom agreement between observers or measurements of the same categorical variable.

kappacism (kap′a-sizm)
Faulty pronunciation of the “k” sound. [G. kappa, the letter κ]

Karman cannula
See under cannula.

Karmen
Albert, U.S. internist and clinical pathologist, *1930. See K. unit.

Karnofsky
David A., 20th century U.S. physician, &dag;1970. See K. scale.

Kartagener
Manes, Swiss physician, 1897–1975. See K. syndrome, K. triad.

karyo-
Nucleus. Cf.:nucleo-. [G. karyon, nucleus]

karyochrome (kar′e-o-krom)
A nerve cell body having little or no Nissl substance visible but a nucleus that stains intensely. [karyo- + G. chroma, color]

karyoclasis (kar-e-ok′la-sis)
SYN: karyorrhexis. [karyo- + G. klasis, a breaking]

karyocyte (kar′e-o-sit)
A young, immature normoblast. [karyo- + G. kytos, cell]

karyogamic (kar-e-o-gam′ik)
Relating to or marked by karyogamy.

karyogamy (kar-e-og′a-me)
Fusion of the nuclei of two cells, as occurs in fertilization or true conjugation. [karyo- + G. gamos, marriage]

karyogenesis (kar-e-o-jen′e-sis)
Formation of the nucleus of a cell. [karyo- + G. genesis, production]

karyogenic (kar-e-o-jen′ik)
Relating to karyogenesis; forming the nucleus.

karyogonad (kar′e-o-go′nad)
SYN: micronucleus (2) . [karyo- + G. gone, generation, descent]

karyogram (kar′e-o-gram)
SYN: karyotype.

karyology (kar′e-ol′o-je)
The branch of cytology that deals with the study of the cell nucleus, its organelles, structures, and functions. [karyo + -logy]

karyolymph (kar′e-o-limf)
The presumably fluid substance or gel of the nucleus in which stainable elements were believed to be suspended; much that was formerly considered to be k. is now known to be euchromatin. SYN: nuclear hyaloplasm, nuclear sap, nucleochylema, nucleochyme. [karyo- + L. lympha, clear water]

karyolysis (kar-e-ol′i-sis)
Apparent destruction of the nucleus of a cell by swelling and the loss of affinity of its chromatin for basic dyes. [karyo- + G. lysis, dissolution]

karyolytic (kar′e-o-lit′ik)
Relating to karyolysis.

karyomere (kar′e-o-mer′)
A vesicle containing only a small part of the typical nucleus, usually following an abnormal mitosis. [karyo- + G. meros, part]

karyomicrosome (kar-e-o-mi′kro-som)
One of the minute particles or granules making up the substance of the cell nucleus. SYN: nucleomicrosome. [karyo- + G. mikros, small, + soma, body]

karyomitome (kar′-e-om-i-tom)
The nuclear chromatin network. [karyo- + mitosis + -ome]

karyomorphism (kar′e-o-mor′fizm)
1. Development of the nucleus of a cell. 2. Denoting the nuclear shapes of cells, especially leukocytes. [karyo- + G. morphe, form]

karyon (kar′e-on)
SYN: nucleus (1) . [G. k., a nut, kernel]

karyophage (kar′e-o-faj)
An intracellular parasite that feeds on the host nucleus. [karyo- + G. phago, to devour]

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