Abbreviations
% Percentage
(—) InhibitionZNegative effect
(+) StimulationZPositive effect
(±) Both plus and minus
: Ratio
= Equals to
°C Degree Centigrade
°F Degree Fahrenheit
A Angstrom
AC Adenylyl cyclase
Ach Acetylcholine
AchE Acetylcholinesterase
AI Artificial insemination
AMP Antimicrobial peptides
ANF Atrial natriuretic factor
ANP Atrial natriuretic peptide
ANS Autonomic nervous system
AQP Aquaporin
AR Adrenergic receptors
ARAS Ascending reticular activating system
AREG Amphiregulin
ART Assisted reproductive technologies
BBB Blood-brain barrier
BCS Body condition score
bGH Bovine growth hormone
BGHI Black globe temperature and humidity index
BGT Black globe temperature
BNP Brain or B-type natriuretic peptide
Ca2+ Calcium ion
CaM Calmodulin
CCK Cholecystokinin
CKD Chronic kidney disease
Cl— Chloride ion
cm Centimeter (a unit of length equal to one hundredth (1/100) of a meter)
CNS Central nervous system
COP Colloid osmotic pressure
COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CRTZ Chemoreceptor trigger zone
CSF Cerebrospinal fluid
D cell Delta cell
d Day
DCT Distal convoluted tubule
DHEA Dehydroepiandrosterone
dL Deciliter (a unit of fluid measure equal to 10-1 L)
DPT Dew point temperature
e.g.
exempli gratia, the Latin phrase meaning “for example”ECF Extracellular fluid
ECG Electrocardiogram
eCG Equine chorionic gonadotropin
ECM Extracellular matrix
EGF Epidermal growth factor
ENS Enteric nervous system
EOP Endogenous opioid system
EPO Erythropoietin
ER Endoplasmic reticulum
ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
et al. “et alia” meaning “and others.” It is used in academic citations
etc. “Et cetera,” a Latin term, means “and other things” or “and so on”
ETT Embryo transfer technology
FACS Fluorescence-activated cell sorting
FFA Free-fatty acids
FGF Fibroblast growth factor
Fig Figure
g Gram (a metric unit of mass equal to 1/1000 (one thousandth) of a kilogram)
g- Per gram
GA Golgi apparatus
GABA Gamma-aminobutyric acid
GC Glucocorticoids
GFR Glomerular filtration rate
GI Gastrointestinal
GIT Gastrointestinal tract
GLP-1 Glucagon-like peptide 1
GLUT Glucose transporter
GPx Glutathione peroxidase system
GRP Gastrin release peptide
h Hour
H+ Hydrogen ion
hCG Human chorionic gonadotropin
HCO3- Bicarbonate ions
HDL High density lipoproteins
HPA axis Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis
HRC Hormone-receptor complex
HSP Heat shock protein
i.e.
“Id est,” a Latin term means “that is” or “in other words”ICF Intracellular fluid
IF Intrinsic factor
Ig Immunoglobulin
IGF Insulin-like growth factor
IL Interleukin
im intramuscular
IMM Inner mitochondrial membrane
JG Juxtaglomerular
K+ Potassium ion
Kf Filtration coefficient
kg Kilograms (a unit of length equal to one thousand grams)
km Kilometer (a unit of length equal to one thousand meters)
kPa Kilopascals
L Liter
LCT Lower critical temperature
LDL Low-density lipoproteins
Lp Lipoprotein
μg Microgram (a unit of length equaling 1 ? 10- g)
μm Micrometer (a unit of length equaling 1 ? 10-6 m)
LPO Lactoperoxidase
m Meter, the fundamental unit of length in the International System of Units (SI)
mEq/L Milliequivalents per liter
mg Milligram (a unit of mass equal to 1/1000 (one thousandth) of a gram)
MHC Major histocompatibility complex
min Minute
MIT Monoiodotyrosine
mL Milliliter (a unit of capacity equal to 1/1000 (one-thousandth) of a liter)
mM Millimolar
mm Millimeter (a unit of length equal to 1/1000 (one thousandth) of a meter) mmHg Millimeter mercury
mmol/L Millimole per liter
MOET Multiple ovulation embryo transfer
mOsm Milliosmole
MRI Magnetic resonance imaging
mRNA Messenger ribonucleic acid
mv Millivolt
Na+ Sodium-ion
NEB Negative energy balance
ng Nanogram (a unit of mass equal to 10-9 g)
nm Nanometer (a unit of mass equal to 10-9 m)
NO Nitric oxide
NPN Non protein nitrogen
NPY Neuropeptide Y
OMM Outer mitochondrial membrane
OPU Ovum pick-up
Osm Osmole
OT Oxytocin
P450scc Cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme
Palv Alveolar pressure
Patm Atmospheric pressure
pCO2 Partial pressure of carbon dioxide
PCT Proximal convoluted tubule
PCV Packed cell volume
PDGF Platelet-derived growth factor
pg Picogram (one trillionth of a gram, a unit of mass equal to 0.000000000001 g)
PGE2 Prostaglandin E2
PGF2α Prostaglandin F2-alpha
pH Power/potential of hydrogen (negative logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ions
or protons)
Pi Inorganic phosphate
Pip Intra-pleural pressure
PK Pyruvate kinase
PKA Protein kinase A
PKC Protein kinase C
pm Picometer (one trillionth of a meter, a unit of length equal to 0.000000000001 m)
PNS Peripheral nervous system
pO2 Partial pressure of oxygen
POA Pre-optic area
PRL Prolactin
PTH Parathormone
PUFA Polyunsaturated fatty acids
PVN Paraventricular nucleus
RAS Reticular activating system
RAS Renin-Angiotensin system
RBC Red blood corpuscle
rbST Recombinantly derived bovine somatotropin
rDNA Recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid
RDP Rumen degradable protein
RER Rough endoplasmic reticulum
rGH Recombinant growth hormone
RH Relative humidity (RH)
RMP Resting membrane potential
RNA Ribonucleic acid
ROS Reactive oxygen species
RPS Renal portal system
rRNA Ribosomal RNA
rT3 Reverse-triiodothyronine
SA node Sino-atrial node
SCC Somatic cell counts
SCNT Somatic cell nuclear transfer
SHBG Sex hormone-binding globulin
SNS Somatic nervous system
SOD Superoxide dismutase
SR Sarcoplasmic reticulum
StAR Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein
STAT Signal transducer and activator of transcription
T3 Triiodothyronine
T4 Tetraiodothyronine
TBG Thyroxine-binding globulin
TBW Total body water
Tc Core body temperature
TCI Thermal comfort index
Tdb Dry bulb temperature
TEC Total erythrocyte count
TGF Transforming growth factor
THI Temperature humidity index
TJ Tight junction
TNZ Thermoneutral zone
TPR Total peripheral resistance
TRH Thyrotropin-releasing hormone
tRNA Transfer RNA
Ts Surface temperature
TSH Thyroid-stimulating hormone
Tsur Surrounding surface temperature
UCT Upper critical temperature
VA/Q Ventilation-perfusion ratio
VEGF Vascular endothelial growth factor
VFA Volatile fatty acid
VIP Vasoactive intestinal peptide
VLDL Very low-density lipoproteins
w/v Weight by volume
WBC White blood cell
wk Week
? Multiplied by
ZO Zonula occludens
α-MSH α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone