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dalton:
Unit of molecular mass. Approximately equal to the mass of a hydrogen
atom (1.66 x 1E-24 g).
degenerate:
Not a moral judgment but an adjective that describes multiple
states that amount to the same thing: different triplet combinations
of nucleotide bases (codons) that code for the same amino acid,
for example.
denaturation:
Dramatic change in conformation of a protein or nucleic acid
caused by heating or by exposure to chemicals and usually resulting
in the loss of biological function.
dendrite:
Extension of a nerve cell, typically branched and relatively
short, that receives stimuli from other nerve cells
deoxyribonucleic acid:
see DNA
desmosome:
Specialized cell-cell junction, usually formed between two epithelial
cells, characterized by dense plaques of protein into which
intermediate filaments in the two adjoining cells insert.
detergent:
Type of small amphipathic molecule that tends to coalesce in
water, with its hydrophobic tails buried and its hydrophilic
heads exposed; widely used to solubilize membrane proteins.
determination:
Commitment by an embryonic cell to a particular specialized path
of development; it reflects a change in the internal character
of the cell.
development:
Succession of changes that take place in an organism as a fertilized
egg gives rise to an adult plant or animal.
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