Glossary

Browse through glands, hormones and endocrine conditions.
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impotence

inability to achieve an erection or orgasm in men.

in vitro fertilisation

(IVF) a form of assisted conception whereby a woman's eggs are extracted and fertilised by sperm outside the body. Conceived embryo(s) are then transferred back to the woman's womb where the hope is that pregnancy will occur.

incidence

the frequency of an event occurring in a population.

induced

brought on, brought forward, often by artificial means.

inflammation

the body's reaction to tissue damage causing localised swelling, redness and warmth.

inherited imprinting defect

genetic change occurring as a random event during early development. Affected people typically have no history of the disorder in their family.

intestine

long coiled tubes in the digestive system where food is broken down. In the small intestine, digestive juices are released to aid the breakdown of food particles; in the large intestine, faeces are formed, which are then expelled from the body.

intracytoplasmic sperm injection

(ICSI) a process by which a single sperm, collected from the male, is injected directly into the female’s egg outside the body (in a lab). A form of assisted reproductive therapy.

intramuscular

into the muscle. Drugs are often administered intramuscularly by injection straight into the muscle.

intravenous

when medication is given through a drip or by injection directly into the veins.

irradiation

being exposed to radiation, such as during radiotherapy for cancer treatment.

islets of Langerhans

cells in the pancreas that detect changes in blood sugar levels. They produce hormones including insulin and glucagon.

Insulin

Insulin is an essential hormone produced by the pancreas. Its main role is to control glucose levels in our bodies.

Insulinoma

An insulinoma is a type of tumour that occurs in the pancreas. The tumour secretes too much insulin, which causes blood glucose (sugar) to drop to low levels.


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