Glossary

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R

Radical

Curative treatment that may be quite aggressive.

Randomised Randomized

Study design in which subjects are randomly assigned to the different study groups, for example the active drug group or a control group being given a placebo.

rDNA recombinant DNA

DNA molecules created by the fusion of DNA from different sources.

Reagents

Sources of biological or chemical material that can be used as the starting blocks in laboratory experiments.

Rectum

Terminal segment of the large intestine that serves as a reservoir for faeces.

Reflex

An involuntary response or movement, often mediated by the spinal cord.

Renin

A protein secreted by the kidneys that raises blood pressure back to normal when it begins to fall.

Ribonucleic acid RNA

Genetic material, composed of a single strand of nucleic acid, the primary function of which is protein synthesis.