cycle (redirected from cycler)

cycle /cy·cle/ (si´k'l) a succession or recurring series of events.

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carbon cycle  the steps by which carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) is extracted from the atmosphere by living organisms and ultimately returned to the atmosphere. It comprises a series of interconversions of carbon compounds beginning with the production of carbohydrates by plants during photosynthesis, proceeding through animal consumption, and ending and beginning again in the decomposition of the animal or plant or in the exhalation of carbon dioxide by animals.

cardiac cycle  a complete cardiac movement, or heart beat, including systole, diastole, and intervening pause.

Events of the cardiac cycle.

cell cycle  the cycle of biochemical and morphological events occurring in a reproducing cell population; it consists of: the S phase, occurring toward the end of interphase, in which DNA is synthesized; the G2 phase, a relatively quiescent period; the M phase, consisting of the four phases of mitosis; and the G1 phase of interphase, which lasts until the S phase of the next cycle.

citric acid cycle  tricarboxylic acid c.

Cori cycle  the mechanism by which lactate produced by muscles is carried to the liver, converted back to glucose via gluconeogenesis, and returned to the muscles.

?-glutamyl cycle  a metabolic cycle for transporting amino acids into cells.

hair cycle  the phases of the life of a hair, consisting of anagen, catagen, and telogen.

Krebs cycle  tricarboxylic acid c.

Krebs-Henseleit cycle  urea c.

menstrual cycle  the period of the regularly recurring physiologic changes in the endometrium, occurring during the reproductive period of female humans, culminating in partial shedding of the endometrium and some bleeding per vagina (menstruating).

Changes in the menstrual cycle in the human female. Solid lines indicate the course of events when the oocyte is not fertilized; dotted lines indicate the course of events when fertilization occurs. Arrows indicate the actions of hormones of the pituitary and the ovary in regulating the cycle.

mosquito cycle  that period in the life of a malarial parasite that is spent in the body of the mosquito host.

nitrogen cycle  the steps by which nitrogen is extracted from the nitrates of soil and water, incorporated as amino acids and proteins in living organisms, and ultimately reconverted to nitrates: (1) conversion of nitrogen to nitrates by bacteria; (2) the extraction of the nitrates by plants and the building of amino acids and proteins by adding an amino group to the carbon compounds produced in photosynthesis; (3) the ingestion of plants by animals, and (4) the return of nitrogen to the soil in animal excretions or on the death and decomposition of plants and animals.

ornithine cycle  urea c.

ovarian cycle  the sequence of physiologic changes in the ovary involved in ovulation.

reproductive cycle  the cycle of physiologic changes in the female reproductive organs, from the time of fertilization of the oocyte through gestation and parturition.

sex cycle , sexual cycle

1. the physiologic changes recurring regularly in the genital organs of nonpregnant female mammals; in humans, the menstrual cycle.

2. the period of sexual reproduction in an organism that also reproduces asexually.

tricarboxylic acid cycle  the final common pathway for the oxidation to CO2 of fuel molecules, most of which enter as acetyl coenzyme A; it also provides intermediates for biosynthetic reactions and generates ATP by providing electrons to the electron transport chain.

Tricarboxylic acid cycle. Diagrammatic representation of reactions by which carbon chains of sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids are metabolized to yield carbon dioxide. Water produced by the cycle and components of the high-energy phosphate pool generated by the associated electron chain are not shown.

urea cycle  a series of metabolic reactions in the liver, by which ammonia is converted to urea using cyclically regenerated ornithine as a carrier.

Urea cycle. Diagrammatic representation of reactions by which excess nitrogen in the form of ammonia is converted to soluble urea, using l-ornithine as a recyclable carrier.

uterine cycle  the phenomena occurring in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle, preparing it for implantation of the blastocyst.

visual cycle  the cyclic interconversion of 11-cis- retinal and all-trans- retinal and association with opsins, creating an electric potential and initiating the cascade generating a sensory nerve impulse in vision.

Visual cycle of retinal rod cells; an analogous cycle occurs with iodopsins in the cones.

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cy·cle (skl)

n.

1. An interval of time during which a characteristic, often regularly repeated event or sequence of events occurs.

2. A single complete execution of a periodically repeated phenomenon.

3. A periodically repeated sequence of events.

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cycle

a succession or recurring series of events.

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cardiac cycle

a complete cardiac movement, or heartbeat, including systole, diastole, and the intervening pause.

The cycle includes eight separate phases: (1) isovolumetric contraction; (2) maximum ejection; (3) reduced ejection; (4) protodiastole (onset of ventricular relaxation); (5) isovolumetric relaxation; (6) rapid flow; (7) diastasis (onset of atrial contraction); (8) atrial systole.

cell cycle

the cycle of biochemical and morphological events occurring in a dividing cell population; it consists of the S phase, occurring toward the end of interphase, in which DNA is synthesized; the G₂ phase, for gap 2, the interval between S and M; the M phase, for mitosis, consisting of the four phases of mitosis; and the G₁ phase, which lasts from the end of M until the start of S phase of the next cycle. Fully differentiated cells are nondividing and are said to be in G₀.

Cell cycle. By permission from Booth DM, Small Animal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Saunders, 2000

citric acid cycle

see tricarboxylic acid cycle.

estrus cycle

see estrous cycle.

Krebs cycle

see tricarboxylic acid cycle.

ovarian cycle

the sequence of physiological changes in the ovary involved in ovulation. See also ovulation and reproduction.

reproductive cycle

the cycle of physiological changes in the reproductive organs, from the time of fertilization of the ovum through gestation and parturition. See also reproduction.

sex cycle, sexual cycle

1. the physiological changes recurring regularly in the reproductive organs of female mammals when pregnancy does not supervene.

2. the period of sexual reproduction in an organism that also reproduces asexually.

tricarboxylic acid cycle

see tricarboxylic acid cycle.

urea cycle

a cyclic series of reactions that produce urea, a major route for removal of the ammonia produced in the metabolism of amino acids in the liver and kidney. See also urea.