bacterial plaque

plaque (plak)

1. any patch or flat area.

2. a superficial, solid, elevated skin lesion.

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attachment plaques  small regions of increased density along the sarcolemma of skeletal muscles to which myofilaments seem to attach.

bacterial plaque , dental plaque a soft thin film of food debris, mucin, and dead epithelial cells on the teeth, providing the medium for bacterial growth. It contains calcium, phosphorus, and other salts, polysaccharides, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, and plays a role in the development of caries, dental calculus, and periodontal and gingival diseases.

fibrous plaque  the lesion of atherosclerosis, a pearly white area within an artery that causes the intimal surface to bulge into the lumen; it is composed of lipid, cell debris, smooth muscle cells, collagen, and, in older persons, calcium.

Hollenhorst plaques  atheromatous emboli containing cholesterol crystals in the retinal arterioles, a sign of impending serious cardiovascular disease.

senile plaques  microscopic argyrophilic masses composed of fragmented axon terminals and dendrites surrounding a core of amyloid, seen in small amounts in the cerebral cortex of healthy elderly people and in larger amounts in those with Alzheimer's disease.

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bacterial plaque

n.

See dental plaque.

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bacterial plaque,

a dense, nonmineralized complex composed primarily of colonies of bacteria embedded in a gelatinous matrix. It contains amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and salts from saliva and gingival fluid; soluble food substances; shed leukocytes and epithelial cells; and products of bacterial metabolism. Plaque is the major causative factor in most dental diseases, including dental caries and inflammatory periodontal diseases. Also called dental plaque.