mucus

mucus
/myooh"keuhs/, n.
a viscous, slimy mixture of mucins, water, electrolytes, epithelial cells, and leukocytes that is secreted by glands lining the nasal, esophageal, and other body cavities and serves primarily to protect and lubricate surfaces.
[1655-65; < L mucus snot; akin to Gk myktér nose, mýxa slime]

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      viscous fluid that moistens, lubricates, and protects many of the passages of the digestive and respiratory tracts in the body. Mucus is composed of water, epithelial (surface) cells, dead leukocytes, mucin, and inorganic salts. Mucus is produced by mucous cells, which are frequently clustered into small glands located on the mucous membrane that lines virtually the entire digestive tract. Large numbers of mucous cells occur in the mouth, where mucus is used both to moisten food and to keep the oral membranes moist while they are in direct contact with the air. Mucus in the nose helps to trap dust, bacteria, and other small inhaled particles. The stomach also has large numbers of mucous cells. Gastric mucus forms a layer about one millimetre thick that lines the stomach, protecting the organ from highly acidic gastric juice and preventing the juice from digesting the stomach itself.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • mucus — mucus …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • Mucus — d un être humain. Les mucus sont différentes sécrétions visqueuses et translucides, produites par divers organismes, et chez ceux ci par diverses organes ou muqueuses. Sommaire 1 Types de mucus …   Wikipédia en Français

  • mucus — [ mykys ] n. m. • 1743; mot lat. « morve » ♦ Anat. Liquide transparent, d aspect filant, produit par les glandes muqueuses et servant d enduit protecteur à la surface des muqueuses. ⇒ mucosité. ● mucus nom masculin (latin mucus, morve) Sécrétion… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • mucus — MÚCUS s.n. Secreţie produsă de celulele mucoase ale unor glande. – Din lat., fr. mucus. Trimis de ana zecheru, 01.06.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  MÚCUS s. (biol.) pituită, (înv.) muc. Trimis de siveco, 05.08.2004. Sursa: Sinonime  múcus s …   Dicționar Român

  • mucus — (n.) 1660s (replacing M.E. mucilage), from L. mucus slime, mold, mucus of the nose, snot, from PIE root *meug slippery, slimy, with derivatives referring to wet or slimy substances or conditions (Cf. L. emungere to sneeze out, blow one s nose,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Mucus — Mu cus (m[=u] k[u^]s), n. [L. mucus, muccus; cf. mucere to be moldy or musty, Gr. my xa mucus, and Skr. muc to release. Cf. {Match} for striking fire, {Moist}, {Mucilage}.] 1. (Physiol.) A viscid fluid secreted by mucous membranes, which it… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mucus — mucus, mucous Mucus is the noun for a slimy substance secreted by a gland, and mucous is the corresponding adjective (as in mucous membrane) …   Modern English usage

  • Mucus — (lat.), Schleim. M. Malpighii, s. Malpighischer Schleim u. Haut …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Mucus — (lat.), s. Schleim …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • mucus — ► NOUN 1) a slimy substance secreted by the mucous membranes and glands of animals for lubrication, protection, etc. 2) mucilage from plants. ORIGIN Latin, related to Greek mussesthai blow the nose , mukter nose, nostril …   English terms dictionary

  • mucus — [myo͞o′kəs] n. [L: see MEEK, MUCK] the thick, slimy secretion of the mucous membranes, that moistens and protects them …   English World dictionary

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