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Glossary

A list of terms used throughout this site.
    Familial adenomatous polyposis
    Glossary

    An inherited condition that predisposes patients to early-onset colorectal cancer, and some other cancers.
    Fertilisation
    Glossary

    When the sex cells (egg and sperm) meet and fuse together, combining the genetic material from mother and father and creating new life.
    Flagella/flagellum
    Glossary

    A slender, whip-like structure that enables protozoa, bacteria, sperm etc. to move around. 
    Fluoresce/fluorescence
    Glossary

    The emission of light by a substance following exposure to light or radiation.
    Foetus
    Glossary

    The unborn young of an animal still in the womb or egg. 
    Fragile-X syndrome
    Glossary

    An inherited form of intellectual disability caused by changes to the DNA sequence in the Fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene on the X-chromosome.
    Fungi/fungus
    Glossary

    A large group of organisms that includes yeasts, moulds and mushrooms. Fungi are distinct from plants, animals and bacteria because they have cell walls that contain chitin.