Glossary of Terms

Angiogenesis - The formation of new blood vessels.

Autosomal Dominant - A single, abnormal gene on one of the autosomal chromosomes (one of the first 22 "non-sex" chromosomes) from either parent can cause certain diseases. One of the parents will usually have the disease (since it is dominant) in this mode of inheritance. Only one parent must have an abnormal gene in order for the child to inherit the disease.

Autosomal Recessive - An abnormal gene on one of the autosomal chromosomes (one of the first 22 "non-sex" chromosomes) from each parent is required to cause the disease. People with only one abnormal gene in the gene pair are called carriers, but since the gene is recessive they do not exhibit the disease.

Fluorescein Angiography - A test that provides information about the circulatory system and the condition of the back of the eye.

Heterogeneous - Consisting of dissimilar elements or parts.

Loci - The positions that given genes occupy on a chromosome.

Neovascularization - Proliferation of blood vessels of a different kind than usual in tissue.

Pathological - Relating to or caused by disease.

Penetrance - The frequency, under given environmental conditions, with which a specific phenotype is expressed by those individuals with a specific genotype.

Traction - The condition of being drawn or pulled.

X-linked - Of, relating to, or characterized by genes situated on the X-chromosome.

For more definitions of technical terms, please visit MedlinePlus Health Information