marrow /mar·row/ (mar´o) bone marrow; the soft organic material filling the cavities of bones, made up of a fiber-rich meshwork of connective tissue, the meshes being filled with marrow cells, which consist variously of fat cells, large nucleated cells or myelocytes, and megakaryocytes. Yellow bone m. is that in which fat cells predominate; red bone m. is the site of production of erythrocytes and granular leukocytes and occurs in developing bone, as of the ribs and vertebrae.
marrow.
marrow [mar´o]
spinal marrow the spinal cord.
mar·row (m r  )n. 1. Bone marrow. 2. The spinal cord. |
marrow.
See bone marrow.
marrow [mar´o]
soft spongy material; called also medulla. The term is often restricted to mean bone marrow.
bone marrow the soft, organic, spongelike material in the cavities of bones; called also medulla ossium. It is a network of blood vessels and special connective tissue fibers that hold together a composite of fat and blood-producing cells. Its chief function is to manufacture erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. These blood cells normally do not enter the bloodstream until they are fully developed, so that the marrow contains cells in all stages of growth. If the body's demand for leukocytes is increased because of infection, the marrow responds immediately by stepping up production. The same is true if more erythrocytes are needed, as in hemorrhage or anemia.
There are two types of marrow, red and yellow. The former produces the blood cells; the latter, which is mainly formed of fatty tissue, normally has no blood-producing function. During infancy and early childhood all bone marrow is red. But gradually, as one gets older and less blood cell production is needed, the fat content of the marrow increases as some of it turns from red to yellow. Red marrow is present in adulthood only in the flat bones of the skull, the sternum, ribs, vertebral column, clavicle, humerus, and part of the femur. However, under certain conditions, as after hemorrhage, yellow marrow in other bones may again be converted to red and resume its cell-producing functions.
The marrow is occasionally subject to disease, as in aplastic anemia, which may be caused by destruction of the marrow by chemical agents or excessive x-ray exposure. Other diseases that affect the bone marrow are leukemia, pernicious anemia, myeloma, and metastatic tumors.
There are two types of marrow, red and yellow. The former produces the blood cells; the latter, which is mainly formed of fatty tissue, normally has no blood-producing function. During infancy and early childhood all bone marrow is red. But gradually, as one gets older and less blood cell production is needed, the fat content of the marrow increases as some of it turns from red to yellow. Red marrow is present in adulthood only in the flat bones of the skull, the sternum, ribs, vertebral column, clavicle, humerus, and part of the femur. However, under certain conditions, as after hemorrhage, yellow marrow in other bones may again be converted to red and resume its cell-producing functions.
The marrow is occasionally subject to disease, as in aplastic anemia, which may be caused by destruction of the marrow by chemical agents or excessive x-ray exposure. Other diseases that affect the bone marrow are leukemia, pernicious anemia, myeloma, and metastatic tumors.
Cells of the bone marrow and the blood. From Malarkey and McMorrow, 2000.
marrow
see bone marrow.
Patient discussion about marrow.
Q. What is Leukemia? My brother's best friend has been diagnosed with Leukemia. What is it? Is it dangerous? Can you recover from it?
A. Leukemia is the general name for four different types of blood cancers. In people with leukemia, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. The abnormal cells are leukemia cells. At first, leukemia cells function almost normally. In time, they may crowd out normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This makes it hard for blood to do its work. After diagnosis, many people with leukemia do survive and live many good, quality years. The relative five-year survival rate has more than tripled in the past 47 years for patients with leukemia. In 1960-63, when compared to a person without leukemia, a patient had a 14 percent chance of living five years. By 1975-77, the five year relative survival rate had jumped to 35 percent, and in 1996-2003 the overall relative survival rate was nearly 50 percent.
Q. What is a bone marrow transplant? I wanted to enter myself as a potential bone marrow donor and wanted to know first of all what bone marrow is? What does a bone marrow transplant mean and how is it done?
A. Bone marrow is a soft, fatty tissue inside the bones. This is where blood cells are produced, and where they develop. Transplanted bone marrow will restore production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Donated bone marrow must match the patient's tissue type. It can be taken from the patient, a living relative (usually a brother or a sister), or from an unrelated donor. Donors are matched through special blood tests called HLA tissue typing. Bone marrow is taken from the donor in the operating room while the donor is unconscious and pain-free (under general anesthesia). Some of the donor's bone marrow is removed from the top of the hip bone. The bone marrow is filtered, treated, and transplanted immediately or frozen and stored for later use. Transplant marrow is transfused into the patient through a vein (IV) and is naturally carried into the bone cavities where it grows to replace the old bone marrow.
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