Medical Dictionary

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autocatalysis (aw′to-ka-tal′i-sis)
A reaction in which one or more of the products formed acts to catalyze the reaction; beginning slowly, the rate of such a reaction rapidly increases. Cf.:chain reaction. SYN: autoactivation.

autocatalytic (aw′to-kat-a-lit′ik)
Relating to autocatalysis.

autocatheterization, autocatheterism (aw′to-kath-e-ter-i-za′shun, -kath′e-ter-izm)
Passage of a catheter by the patient.

autochthonous (aw-tok′thon-us)
1. Native to the place inhabited; aboriginal. 2. Originating in the place where found; said of a disease originating in the part of the body where found, or of a disease acquired in the place where the patient is. [auto- + G. chthon, land, ground, country]

autoclasis, autoclasia (aw-tok′la-sis, aw-to-kla′ze-a)
1. A breaking up or rupturing from intrinsic or internal causes. 2. Progressive immunologically induced tissue destruction. [auto- + G. klasis, breaking]

autoclave (aw′to-klav)
1. An apparatus for sterilization by steam under pressure; it consists of a strong closed boiler containing a small quantity of water and, in a wire basket, the articles to be sterilized. 2. To sterilize in an a.. [auto- + L. clavis, a key, in the sense of self-locking]

autocoid (aw′to-koyd)
A chemical substance produced by one type of cell that affects the function of different types of cells in the same region, thus functioning as a local hormone or messenger. SYN: autacoid substance, autacoid. [G. autos, self, + eidos, form]

autocrine (aw′to-krin)
Denoting self-stimulation through cellular production of a factor and a specific receptor for it. [auto- + G. krino, to separate]

autocystoplasty (aw-to-sis′to-plas-te)
SYN: autoaugmentation. [auto- + G. kystis, bladder, + plastos, formed]

autocytolysin (aw′to-si-tol′i-sin)
SYN: autolysin.

autocytolysis (aw′to-si-tol′i-sis)
SYN: autolysis.

autocytotoxin (aw′to-si-to-toks′in)
A cytotoxic autoantibody.

autodermic (aw-to-der′mik)
Relating to one's own skin; denoting especially an a. graft or dermatoautoplasty. [auto- + G. derma, skin]

autodigestion (aw′to-di-jes′chun)
SYN: autolysis.

autodiploid (aw-to-dip′loyd)
See autoploid.

autodrainage (aw-to-dran′ij)
Drainage into contiguous tissues.

autoecholalia (aw′to-ek-o-la′le-a)
A morbid repetition of another person's or one's own words. [auto- + echolalia]

autoerotic (aw′to-e-rot′ik)
Pertaining to autoerotism.

autoeroticism (aw′to-e-rot′i-sizm)
Sexual arousal or gratification using one's own body, as in masturbation. SYN: autoerotism. [auto- + G. erotikos, relating to love]

autoerotism (aw-to-ar′o-tizm)
SYN: autoeroticism. [auto- + G. erotikos, relating to love]

autofluoroscope (aw-to-flor′o-skop)
A type of scintillation camera consisting of a matrix of individual sodium iodide crystals, each with its separate light pipe and photomultiplier tube; used for radioisotope imaging procedures.

autogamous (aw-tog′a-mus)
Relating to or characterized by autogamy.

autogamy (aw-tog′a-me)
A form of self-fertilization in which fission of the cell nucleus occurs without division of the cell, the two pronuclei so formed reuniting to form the synkaryon; in other cases, the cell body also divides, but the two daughter cells immediately conjugate. SYN: automixis. [auto- + G. gamos, marriage]

autogenesis (aw-to-jen′e-sis)
1. The origin of living matter within the organism itself. 2. In bacteriology, the process by which vaccine is made from bacteria obtained from the patient's own body. [auto- + G. genesis, production]

autogenetic, autogenic (aw′to-je-net′ik, jen′ik)
Relating to autogenesis. SYN: autogenous (1) .

autogenous (aw-toj′e-nus)
1. SYN: autogenetic, autologous. 2. Originating within the body, applied to vaccines prepared from bacteria or other cells obtained from the affected person. Cf.:endogenous. [G. autogenes, self-produced]

autognosis (aw-tog-no′sis)
Recognition of one's own character, tendencies, and peculiarities. SYN: self-knowledge. [auto- + G. gnosis, knowledge]

autograft (aw′to-graft)
Tissue or organ transferred into a new position in the body of the same individual. SYN: autogeneic graft, autologous graft, autoplastic graft, autotransplant. [auto- + A.S. graef]

autografting (aw-to-graft′ing)
SYN: autotransplantation.

autogram (aw′to-gram)
A wheal-like lesion on the skin following pressure by a blunt instrument or by stroking. [auto- + G. gramma, something written]

autographism (aw-tog′ra-fizm)
SYN: dermatographism.

autohemagglutination (aw′to-he′ma-gloo-ti-na′shun)
Autoagglutination of autologous erythrocytes.

autohemolysin (aw′to-he-mol′i-sin)
An autoantibody that causes lysis of erythrocytes in the presence of complement.

autohemolysis (aw′to-he-mol′i-sis)
Hemolysis occurring in certain diseases as a result of an autohemolysin.

autohexaploid (aw-to-heks′a-ployd)
See autoploid.

autohypnosis (aw′to-hip-no′sis)
Self-induced hypnosis, accomplished by concentrating on self-absorbing thought or on the idea of being hypnotized. SYN: autohypnotism, idiohypnotism.

autohypnotic (aw′to-hip-not′ik)
Relating to autohypnosis.

autohypnotism (aw-to-hip′no-tizm)
SYN: autohypnosis.

autoimmune (aw-to-i-mun′)
Cells and/or antibodies arising from and directed against the individual's own tissues, as in a. disease.

autoimmunity (aw′to-i-mu′ni-te)
1. In immunology, the condition in which one's own tissues are subject to deleterious effects of the immune system, as in autoallergy and in autoimmune disease; specific humoral or cell-mediated immune response against the body's own tissues. SYN: autoallergy. 2. Literally, the condition in which “self” is exempt.

autoimmunization (aw′to-im′u-ni-za′shun)
Induction of autoimmunity.

autoimmunocytopenia (aw-to-im′oo-no-si-to-pe′ne-a)
Anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia resulting from cytotoxic autoimmune reactions.

autoinfection (aw′to-in-fek′shun)
1. Reinfection by microbes or parasitic organisms that have already passed through an infective cycle. 2. Self-infection by direct contagion as with pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis) eggs passed in the infectious state and transmitted by fingernails (anal-oral route). SYN: autoreinfection, self-infection.

autoinfusion (aw′to-in-fu′shun)
Forcing the blood from the extremities or other areas such as the spleen, as by the application of a bandage or pressure device, to raise the blood pressure and fill the vessels in the vital centers; resorted to after excessive loss of blood or other body fluids. Cf.:autotransfusion.

autoinoculable (aw′to-in-ok′u-la-bl)
Susceptible to autoinoculation.

autoinoculation (aw′to-in-ok-u-la′shun)
A secondary infection originating from a focus of infection already present in the body.

autointoxicant (aw′to-in-toks′i-kant)
An endogenous toxic agent that causes autointoxication. SYN: autotoxin.

autointoxication (aw′to-in-toks-i-ka′shun)
A disorder resulting from absorption of the waste products of metabolism, decomposed matter from the intestine, or the products of dead and infected tissue as in gangrene. SYN: autotoxicosis, endogenic toxicosis, enterotoxication, enterotoxism, intestinal intoxication, self-poisoning.

autoisolysin (aw′to-i-sol′i-sin)
An antibody that in the presence of complement causes lysis of cells in the individual in whose body the lysin is formed, as well as in others of the same species.

autokeratoplasty (aw-to-ker′a-to-plas-te)
Grafting of corneal tissue from one eye of a patient to the fellow eye. [auto- + G. keras, horn, + plastos, formed]

autokinesia, autokinesis (aw-to-ki-ne′se-a, aw-to-ki-ne′sis)
Voluntary movement. [auto- + G. kinesis, movement]

autokinetic (aw-to-ki-net′ik)
Relating to autokinesis.

autolesion (aw-to-le′zhun)
A self-inflicted injury.

autologous (aw-tol′o-gus)
1. Occurring naturally and normally in a certain type of tissue or in a specific structure of the body. 2. In transplantation, referring to a graft in which the donor and recipient areas are in the same individual, or to blood that the donor has previously donated and then receives back, usually during surgery. 3. Sometimes used to denote a neoplasm derived from cells that occur normally at that sight, e.g., a squamous cell carcinoma in the upper esophagus. SYN: autogenous (1) . [auto- + G. logos, relation]

autolysate (aw-tol′i-sat)
The mixture of substances resulting from autolysis.

autolyse (aw′to-lis)
SYN: autolyze.

autolysin (aw-tol′i-sin)
An antibody that in the presence of complement causes lysis of the cells and tissues in the body of the individual in whom the lysin is formed. SYN: autocytolysin.

autolysis (aw-tol′i-sis)
1. Enzymatic digestion of cells (especially dead or degenerate) by enzymes present within them (autogenous). 2. Destruction of cells as a result of a lysin formed in those cells or others in the same organism. SYN: autocytolysis, autodigestion, isophagy. [auto- + G. lysis, dissolution]

autolytic (aw-to-lit′ik)
Pertaining to or causing autolysis.

autolyze (aw′to-liz)
To undergo autolysis. SYN: autolyse.

automallet (aw′to-mal-et)
Obsolete term for automatic plugger or condenser.

automatism (aw-tom′a-tizm)
1. The state of being independent of the will or of central innervation; applicable, for example, to the heart's action. 2. An epileptic attack consisting of stereotyped psychic, sensory, or motor phenomena carried out in a state of impaired consciousness and of which the individual usually has no knowledge. 3. A condition in which an individual is consciously or unconsciously, but involuntarily, compelled to the performance of certain motor or verbal acts, often purposeless and sometimes foolish or harmful. SYN: telergy. [G. automatos, self-moving, + -in] ambulatory a. a person's automatic performance of an action or series of actions without being consciously aware of the processes involved in the performance. immediate posttraumatic a. a posttraumatic state in which the patient performs automatically without immediate or later memory of that behavior.

automatograph (aw-to-mat′o-graf)
An instrument for recording automatic movements.

automixis (aw-to-miks′is)
SYN: autogamy. [auto- + G. mixis, intercourse]

automnesia (aw-tom-ne′ze-a)
Spontaneous revival of memories of an earlier condition of life. [auto- + G. mnesis, a remembering]

automysophobia (aw′to-mis-o-fo′be-a)
Morbid dread of personal uncleanliness. [auto- + G. mysos, dirt, + phobos, fear]

autonomic (aw-to-nom′ik)
Relating to the a. nervous system.

autonomotropic (aw′to-nom-o-trop′ik)
Acting on the autonomic nervous system. [autonomic + G. trepo, to turn]

autonomous (aw-ton′o-mus)
Having independence or freedom from control by external forces or, in a narrow sense, by the cerebrospinal nerve centers.

autonomy (aw-ton′o-me)
The condition or state of being autonomous, able to make decisions unaided by others. [auto- + G. nomos, law] functional a. in social psychology, the tendency of a developed motive system ( e.g., motive of acquisition) to become independent of the primary or innate drive from which it originated ( e.g., need for food).

auto-oxidation (aw′to-oks-i-da′shun)
The direct combination of a substance with molecular oxygen at ordinary temperatures. SYN: autoxidation.

auto-oxidizable (aw′to-oks-i-diz′a-bl)
Denoting substances that react directly with oxygen ( e.g., b hemochromogen in cytochrome) and do not require the action of dehydrogenases.

autopathic (aw-to-path′ik)
Rarely used synonym for idiopathic.

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