Medical and Healthy Living Glossary - T
This page of our online glossary of medical and healthy living is for medical and healthy living terms beginning with the letter 'T'.
- T-cell - A type of white blood cell (lymphocyte) that differentiates in a gland called the thymus, situated in the thorax. There are a whole variety of T cells involved in the recognition of a specific foreign body (antigen), and they are particularly important in combating viral infections and destroying bacteria.
- Tendon (Sinew) - Strong connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.
- Thymus - An endocrine gland in the front part of the top of the thorax, behind the breastbone. The thymus gland that makes and stores T-lymphocytes in childhood. It almost disappears by adulthood.
- Tissue - A collection of cells or fibres that perfom a similar function. Most of the body is made up of soft tissue, apart from the bones and cartilage. The main types of body tissue are connective, epithelial, muscular and nerve tissue.
- Toxaemia (Toxemia) - A form of blood poisoning stemming from toxins (or poisons) which are produced by bacteria invading a site of infection.
- Toxins - Poisons produced by living organisms - usually by bacteria. Toxic substances, however, can be inorganic materials such as lead or mercury.
- Trace Elements - Minerals the body needs in extremely small quantities to maintain health, for example by enabling enzymes to work properly. They include minerals such as iodine, selenium and magnesium.
- Trans Fats (Trans Fatty Acids) - Types of fat that occur in their natural form in meat and dairy products and in an artificial form in foods such as margarines, biscuits and cakes. Research has suggested that there is a connection between high consumption of artificially produced trans fats and heart disease.
- Triglycerides - The form in which fat is stored in the body. During digestion, triglycerides from food are broken down and then reconstituted in the cells of the intestine walls, before passing into the bloodstream. Studies suggest there is a link between raised levels of triglycerides in the blood and the risk of heart disease. Physical exercise has been shown to reduce the presence of triglycerides in the blood, while consuming a lot of alcohol can increase it.
- Trypsin - An important enzyme involved in the digestion of proteins. Its inactive precursor, trypsinogen, is secreted by the pancreas and converted to trypsin in the duodenum by the action of another enzyme called enteropeptidase.
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