|
lumen:
Cavity enclosed by an epithelial sheet (in a tissue) or by a
membrane (in a cell).
lymph:
Colorless fluid derived from blood by filtration through capillary
walls. Carries lymphocytes in a special system of ducts and
vessels - the lymphatic vessels.
lymphocyte:
White blood cell that makes an immune response when activated
by a foreign molecule (an antigen). T lymphocytes develop in
the thymus and are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. B
lymphocytes develop in the bone marrow in mammals and are responsible
for the production of circulating antibodies.
Lysis:
Rupture of a cell's plasma membrane, leading to the release
of cytoplasm and the death of the cell.
lysogeny:
State of a bacterium in which it carries the DNA of an inactive
virus integrated into its genome. The virus can subsequently
be activated to replicate and lyse the cell.
lysosome:
Membrane-bounded organelle in eucaryotic cells containing digestive
enzymes, which are typically most active at the acid pH found
in the lumen of lysosomes.
|
