(part′-ĭ-kĕl)
[L. particula, a small piece, little bit, particle]
1. A very small piece or part of matter; a tiny fragment or trace.
2. Any of several subatomic components of the nuclei of radioactive elements, such as alpha and beta particles.
3. An attraction particle or centriole of the nucleus of a cell. SEE: 4. Virion.
A charged particle emitted from a radioactive substance made up of a helium nucleus consisting of two protons and two electrons. The particle has very low penetrability but an extremely high linear energy transfer.
SEE: Beta ray.
Any ion or subatomic particle that carries an electrical charge, e.g., in medicine, a proton used in radiation therapy. By convention, protons are positively charged particles; electrons, negatively charged.
SEE: Dane particle
The subatomic parts of the atomic nucleus.
ABBR: large LDL particle A low density lipoprotein larger than 213 angstroms. The particles are thought to represent the least atherogenic fraction of the LDL molecule.
ABBR: LVP An infectious hepatitis C virus released from a hepatocyte, coated in low density lipoproteins.
ABBR: NDAP Alpha-synnuclein, amyloid beta, or tau proteins. They accumulate in the central nervous system in patients with diseases such as Alzheimer dementia or Parknson disease.