How Do You Spell CHROMAFFIN?

Pronunciation: [kɹˈə͡ʊmɐfˌɪn] (IPA)

Chromaffin is a term related to the adrenal gland and its secretions. It is spelled with a "ch" sound in the beginning, followed by "ro-maf-in". The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is ˈkroʊməfɪn. The first sound is the 'kr' sound as in "cry", followed by the long 'o' sound represented by the letter 'o', then the common 'm' sound, followed by a short 'a' sound, and then 'f' sound ending with short 'i' sound, and finally 'n' sound.

CHROMAFFIN Meaning and Definition

1. Chromaffin is an adjective that refers to a type of cell or tissue that stains easily with chromium salts or other chromogenic reagents. This staining ability is due to the presence of granules or vesicles containing catecholamines, such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, which are responsible for its characteristic coloration.

   Chromaffin cells are highly specialized neuroendocrine cells found in the medulla, or the central part, of the adrenal glands and in the medullary region of certain organs, such as the carotid bodies and the paraganglia located along blood vessels. These cells are responsible for synthesizing and releasing catecholamines into the bloodstream in response to appropriate stimuli.

   The chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla play a crucial role in the "fight-or-flight" response of the body to stress, as they secrete adrenaline and noradrenaline during times of intense physical or psychological stress. These catecholamines then act on various target tissues to induce physiological changes, such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism.

   Overall, the term "chromaffin" describes cells or tissues that have the ability to stain easily with chromium salts due to the presence of catecholamine-containing granules. Understanding the chromaffin cells and their role in the body's stress response is essential in the field of endocrinology and neurobiology.

2. Giving a brownish yellow reaction with chromic salts; noting certain cells in the medulla of the adrenal bodies.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for CHROMAFFIN

• xhromaffin
• vhromaffin
• fhromaffin
• dhromaffin
• cgromaffin
• cbromaffin
• cnromaffin
• cjromaffin
• curomaffin
• cyromaffin
• cheomaffin
• chdomaffin
• chfomaffin
• chtomaffin
• ch5omaffin
• ch4omaffin
• chrimaffin
• chrkmaffin
• chrlmaffin
• chrpmaffin

Etymology of CHROMAFFIN

The word "chromaffin" is derived from the Greek words "chroma" meaning "color" and "aphinein" meaning "to show". "Chroma" refers to the color and "aphinein" refers to the ability to display or produce colors. When combined, "chromaffin" refers to cells or tissues that have the ability to stain or exhibit color under certain staining techniques. In the context of biology, chromaffin cells are known for their ability to store and secrete certain pigments, particularly in the medulla of the adrenal glands.

Plural form of CHROMAFFIN is CHROMAFFINS