Glossary

Below is a glossary of terms related to stem cell research and clinical trials at the Stem Cell Center. For questions about any of these terms, please call the center at 832-355-9405.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI)The medical term for a "heart attack."Acute myocardial infarction results from a blockage in one or more of the blood vessels leading to the heart. Damage to the heart muscle results, due to the lack of blood flow.

Adult stem cellAn undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ.Thestemcellcan renew itself and change to yield all the specialized cell types of the tissue or organ.

AkinesiaA lack of myocardial wall motion.

AllogeneicA graft or tissue from someone other than the patient such as a donor or other third-party source.

Angina or angina pectorisChest pain that occurs when diseased blood vessels restrict blood flow to the heart.

AngiogenesisA new blood vessel growth.

AngiographyAn x-raytechniqueinwhichdye is injected into the chambers of your heart or the arteries that lead to your heart (the coronary arteries). The test lets doctors measure the blood flow and blood pressure in the heart chambers and see if the coronary arteries are blocked.

AngioplastyA nonsurgical technique for treating diseased arteries by temporarily inflating a tiny balloon inside an artery.

Excerpt from:
Stem Cell Education Center - Texas Heart Institute at St ...