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Fibro" is a prefix used in medical terminology to denote fibrous tissues in the body. The term originates from the Latin "fibra," which also refers to fibrous tissues.
Fibrous Tissue
The prefix "fibro" is used almost exclusively to describe fibrous tissue in the body. These are connective tissues that create the basic framework of a cell and are the first tissues to form during the healing of a wound. Fibroblasts are a type of animal cell that grow and multiply to heal the body, with the suffix "blast" referring to an activated stem cell. Collagen, the protein that gives tissues in the body their strength and flexibility, is a fibrous tissue.
Conditions With the Prefix "Fibro"
Conditions involving fibrous connective tissues can occur nearly anywhere in the body because collagen composes about a quarter of the body's proteins. Because of this, many conditions may use the prefix; however, a great deal of medical research focuses on three conditions: fibrosis, fibromyalgia and fibrocystic breast condition.
Fibrosis
Fibrosis, or fibroplasia, is a condition in which connective tissues invade organs of the body due to inflammation; however, it can also simply refer to the growth of fibrous tissue. Cystic fibrosis is the most common genetically inherited disease and causes a change in the genetic coding for a specific type of protein. This leads to a malfunction of the cell membrane in certain parts of the body, with improperly functioning organs causing life-threatening conditions.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition in which muscle fibers and connective tissue experience widespread pain and is the term most closely associated with the prefix when used by itself. The causes of the condition are not well understood, and diagnosis is difficult. The prefix "fibro" is used for this condition because the symptoms are most closely related to muscle fibers, not proteins as is the case with fibrosis.
Fibrocystic Breast Condition
Fibrocystic breast condition, or FCC, causes non-cancerous lumps in the breasts of human females. A biopsy is taken from the affected area, and a diagnosis is made if the sample is found to contain fibrous tissue. This condition is not associated with dangerous or life-threatening side effects.
Tags: connective tissues, fibrous tissue, associated with, body with, breast condition, condition which
