ectoderm

Term: ectoderm

Origin: Anc Greek

εκ, έξω/ec, exo(=outside, external) 
δέρμα/derma(==skin beneath the epidermis)

> δέρμα --> δεσμά/desma(=bonds) because skin keeps the body tight

Karl Ernst von Baer (1792 - 1876 )

> δέρω/dero(=to peel, to flay)

Coined

Robert Remak (1815-1865)

German anatomist Christian Heinrich Pander (1794-1865) first described the existence of three germ layers in chick embryos. The concept was later extended by Esthonian embryologist Karl Ernst von Baer (1792 - 1876 ) to include all vertebrates. Finally Prussian embryologist Robert Remak (1815-1865) coined the names of trhee layers.

Definition

Ectoderm is the outmost of the germ layers formed during animal embryogenesis; This type of cell layer produces brain, CNS and epidermis. The other two layers are the mesoderm and ectoderm.

somatotrophin, somatropin

Term: somatotrophin, somatropin

Origin: Anc Greek

σώμα/soma(=body)

τροπισμός/tropismos(=tendency of an organism to turn or move in response to a stimulus)

>ίνη/-in(=syffix that is used for prote-ins

Coined?

Choh Hao Li was the scientist who discovered and synthesised the human pituitary growth hormone known later as somatotropin.

Definition

Somatotropin is a growth hormone (Human Growth Hormone, HGH) peptide which stimulates reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Somatotropin refers to growth hormone produced naturally in animals, whereas the term somatropin refers to growth hormone produced by recombinant DNA technology. . Somatotropin synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituaitary gland. 

endosperm

Term: endosperm

Origin: Anc Greek

ενδο/endo(=inside, within)

σπέρμα(=seed) > (=sow)

>σπείρω/spearo (=disperse)

Definition

An endospore is a dormant and temporarily non-reproductive structure produced by certain bacteria under unfavorable conditions. Although word “spore” indicates a “plant embryo”  the endospores are not offsprings but  bacteria in different state.  

poikilothermy

Term: poikilothermy

Origin: Anc Greek

ποικίλος/poikilos(=variant)

θερμός/thermos(=warm)

>θέρω/ thero(=heat)

>θάλλω/thallo(=feed)

Literally means "various-heating”

Definition

(biol) Poikilothermy is in general the capasity of an organism to vary the  internal body temprature according to temprature of external environment. Ectothermy is also thermoregulation but this is generated only by internal means of metabolism.

  The opposite of homoethermy  is homeothermy.

androgen

Term: adrogen

Origin: Anc Greek  ανδρογόνος < ανδρός, genitive of word ανήρ/aner(=male)  +  γένος/genos(=generation,  produced by)  -à generating man

Coined :

In the article “Endocrines theory and practice” in  J Chemistry and Assay of male hormones (1957) by R.K Callow and A.S Parkes  is mentioned that :

“the terms androgenic in  the sense of causing the development of male organs and characters and androgen a substance with this property, have been  used by American  writers . They supply very necessary parallels to the terms “oestrogenic” and oestrogen” applied to female sex hormones.”

Definition:

Any of a group of hormones, such as testosterone or androsterone, that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of the secondary male sex characteristics.