Category: T
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Teaspoon
A household measure equal to approx. 5 ml. Teaspoons used in the home vary from 3 to 6 ml. Because household measures are not accurate, when a teaspoon dose is prescribed or ordered, 5 ml of the substance should be given.
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Tease
To separate a tissue into minute parts with a needle to prepare it for microscopy.
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Tear film
A liquid consisting of lipids, water, and mucin that coats the outer surface of the eye, lubricating it.
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Tear break-up test
A test for dry eyes in which fluorescein sodium is applied to the cornea. The amount of time it takes for the first dry spots to appear on the cornea is determined. A TBUT time of less than 10 seconds suggests poor tear film stability.
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T-cell receptor
One of two polypeptide chains (α or β) on the surface of T lymphocytes that recognize and bind foreign antigens. TCRs are antigen specific; their activity depends on antigen processing by macrophages or other antigen-presenting cells and the presence of major histocompatibility complex proteins to which peptides from the antigen are bound.
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Taylor brace
A brace with two rigid posterior oblique portions and soft straps crossed anteriorly over the chest.
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Tautomerism
A phenomenon in which a chemical may be present in two forms, existing in dynamic equilibrium so that as the amount of one substance is altered, the second is changed into the other form in order to maintain the equilibrium.
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Tautomerase
An enzyme that catalyzes tautomeric reactions.
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Tautomer
A chemical that is capable of tautomerism.
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Taussig-Bing syndrome
A congenital deformity of the heart in which the aorta arises from the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery arises from both ventricles. An intraventricular septal defect is present.