Antrum: (see Pylorus)

BrdU: A labelling chemical which mimics one of the building blocks of DNA. It has the ability to stain proliferating cells so that they are identifiable.

Cancer: A disease characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of cells.

Carcinogen: A molecule that can transform normal cells into cancer cells.

Carcinogenesis: The transformation of normal cells into cancer cells.

Carcinoma: A cancer that arises in epithelial tissue

Denaturing solution: A solution that induces structural alterations that disrupt the biological activity of a molecule

Dyspepsia: the acidic digestive fluid secreted by glands in the stomach

Epithelial: used to describe tissue that forms a thin protective layer on exposed bodily surfaces and forms the lining of internal cavities, ducts, and organs

Ethanol: A type of alcohol created in some types of fermentation; it is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages

Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A cancer that arises in the epithelial tissue of the stomach.

Gastric Juice: the acidic digestive fluid secreted by glands in the stomach

Gastric Mucosa: A mucous membrane (moist lining) in the stomach that outlines the inside of the stomach.

Gastric Ulcer: Erosion in the stomach wall caused by gastric acid, digestive enzymes, and other factors that may include bacterial infection

Gastritis: inflammation of the stomach lining (mucous membrane that lines the stomach)

Gastroenterology: the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of diseases of the stomach and intestines and their associated organs

Gastrointestinal: relating to the stomach and intestines

Helicobacter Pylori: A spiral shaped bacterium that lives in the stomach and is the cause of 70% of all peptic ulcers.

Histo-immunochemistry: the biochemistry of cells and tissues

Histology: a branch of anatomy concerned with the study of the microscopic structures of animal and plant tissue

Intestinal Metaplasia: The transformation of gastric mucosa into glandular mucosa resembling that of the intestines, although usually lacking villi.

Intraperitoneally: within or introduced into the peritoneal cavity (See Peritoneal Cavity)

Lesser Curvature: the concave margin of the normally J-shaped stomach

Mathematical Mean: a value that is intermediate between other values, for example, an average

Methanol: A toxic, colorless, flammable alcohol which is used in some antifreeze and to manufacture formaldehyde. It can cause blindness and other nervous system damage if ingested.

NSAIDS: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; A drug taken by mouth or applied externally and used to relieve pain and inflammation in a wide range of conditions, especially arthritic or muscular pain. May aid in development of ulcers.

Paraffinized: To treat a tissue culture with paraffin in order to prevent dehydration.

Pathogen: A micro-organism or other agent that causes disease.

Peritoneal Cavity: a smooth transparent membrane that lines the abdomen and doubles back over the surfaces of the internal organs to form a continuous sac

Peroxidase: A group of enzymes which remove hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from the cell by turning it into water.

Proliferation (Cell): The increase in cell number due to growth and division

Pylorus (Antrum): the thick muscular ring surrounding the outlet of the stomach into the duodenum. It closes to prevent unduly large lumps of food from leaving, thus enabling stomach acid and enzymes to break them down further. The portion of the stomach in which H. pylori lives.

S Phase: The stage of the cell division cycle during which DNA is synthesized.

Standard Deviation: a statistical measure of the amount by which a set of values differs from the arithmetical mean

Standard Error: the standard deviation of the sample divided by the square root of the number of values in the sample. It is a measure of the variability that a constant would be expected to show during sampling.

Sodium: a soft silver-white metallic chemical element that reacts readily with other substances. It is essential to the body's fluid balance and occurs in abundance, especially in common salt.

Stomach: an organ in which food is mixed and partially digested. It forms part of the digestive tract of vertebrates.

Student t-test: (See T Probability)

T Probability Test: test that is used to determine whether or not the means in two samples are significantly different.