Ethics of Research involving animals
Glossary P-W
Patagial: The wing membrane of a bat or similar animal.
Pathogen: An agent causing disease.
Pathogenesis: The processes by which a disease develops.
Peptide: A short string of amino acids, which occurs either within a larger protein molecule or as an individual, biologically important molecule.
Peritoneum: The cellular membrane lining the cavity of the abdomen (the peritoneal cavity).
Pharmaceutical: Medicinal drug.
Pharmacokinetics: The process by which a medicine is absorbed, distributed, metabolized and eliminated by the body.
Pharming: The production of pharmaceuticals in genetically modified plants or animals. Phenotype: The observable or measurable traits of an individual, which depend on both its genotype and the environment.
Phototoxicity: Toxicity of a compound in the presence of light. While a medicine by itself may have no toxic effects, this may change in combination with light.
Potency: Strength of action.
Prion: Infectious proteins that are the cause of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies such as scrapie, BSE and CJD.
Procedure: A combination of one or more technical acts carried out on an animal for an experimental or other scientific purpose which may cause that animal pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 uses the term 'procedure' rather than 'experiment' so that laboratory animals used in ways which are not experimental, such as breeding of harmful mutants, are also covered.
Progeny: The offspring of an organism.
Prophylactic: For the purpose of preventing disease.
Protein: A molecule consisting of a long chain of amino acids, folded up into a specific threedimensional structure, which determines its function. Proteins are encoded by genes and are essential for almost all life processes.
Pyrogenic: Producing heat, especially in the body.
Receptor: A molecule on or in a cell that specifically recognises a signal molecule outside the cell such as a neurotransmitter or hormone. Retro-orbital bleeding: A method of drawing blood from behind the eye.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA): A single stranded nucleic acid molecule produced by transcription from DNA. It consists of a long chain made from four nucleotides, whose sequence determines the informational content of the molecule. It may either be translated into protein or may itself have a direct functional role.
Ruminant: A hoofed animal that chews the cud e.g. cows, sheep.
Selective breeding: Where organisms exhibiting desired characteristics are used to produce offspring that also bear those characteristics.
Sentient: Having the power of perception by the senses.
Sequencing: Ascertaining the sequence of amino acid subunits in a polypeptide (protein) or of nucleotides in an RNA or DNA molecule.
Somatic: Of or relating to the body. A distinction is often made between the somatic cells of an animal, which leave no genetic trace when the animal dies, and the germ cells, which can pass on the animal’s genetic information to the next generation.
Stem cells: Undifferentiated cells, which can divide indefinitely and produce either more stem cells or cells that commit to becoming more specialised (differentiated) cell types.
Stereotypy: A repeated, relatively invariant sequence of movements that have no obvious function.
Stroke: A sudden disabling attack or loss of consciousness caused by either an interruption in the flow of blood to the brain or bleeding into the brain.
Subcellular: Situated or occurring within the cell.
Synovium: The cellular membrane lining joints.
T cells: Lymphocytes of the immune system that derive from the thymus gland. They make cellmediated immune responses rather than antibody responses.
Telemetry: The automatic measurement and transmission of data by radio or other means from remote sources. This is used for recording and analysis.
Teratogenicity: Capacity to cause malformations of an embryo.
Three Rs: Reduction, refinement, replacement.
Tissue: Any of the coherent collections of specialised cells of which animals or plants are made, such as muscular or vascular tissue. Tissues are combined to make organs, such as the brain and liver.
Tissue culture: Tissues maintained in a culture dish.
Toxicity: Capacity to cause harm to cells or organisms.
Toxicogenomics: A scientific sub-discipline concerned with the influence of genes in determining susceptibility to specific toxins.
Transgenic animal: An animal that has been genetically modified.
Utilitarianism: A form of Consequentialism. The philosophy states that the best actions are those that produce most overall happiness or pleasure.
Vaccine: An antigenic preparation used to stimulate immune responses in order to protect an individual against a disease —usually an infectious disease. Experimental vaccines to treat some cancers are being tested in trials.
vCJD (variant CJD): A form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in humans caused by BSE prions.
Vertebrates: Animals with a backbone.
Virulent: (of a pathogen) capable of causing serious disease.
Wild type: A form of an organism, strain, gene, or characteristic, as it occurs in nature.