Definition

Noun: * Red Bone Marrow: A soft, highly vascular tissue found within the spongy interior of certain bones. It is the primary site for the production (hematopoiesis) of red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). In infants, all bone marrow is red marrow. In adults, it is predominantly found in flat bones (such as the pelvis, sternum, skull, ribs, and vertebrae) and the ends (epiphyses) of long bones.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The biopsy confirmed that the patient's red bone marrow was functioning normally.
  • A disease like leukemia originates in the red bone marrow.
  • Donated stem cells are injected into the recipient's red bone marrow to regenerate healthy blood cells.

Advanced Usage

• Medical Context: The term is primarily used in medical, biological, and anatomical contexts to distinguish it from yellow bone marrow. It is central to discussions of hematology, oncology, and transplants.
  • The chemotherapy damaged the red bone marrow, leading to a low blood cell count.
• "Red marrow": A common abbreviated form used interchangeably with "red bone marrow."
  • The scan showed active red marrow in the sternum.

Variants and Related Words

• Red Marrow (n): The shortened, more common form of "red bone marrow."
• Bone Marrow (n): The general term for the soft tissue inside bones, encompassing both red and yellow marrow.
• Yellow Bone Marrow / Yellow Marrow (n): The fatty tissue found in the central cavities of long bones in adults, which can convert back to red marrow in cases of severe blood loss.
• Hematopoietic Tissue (n): The technical biological term for tissue that forms blood cells, which is the primary function of red bone marrow.
• Myeloid Tissue (n): Another technical term often used synonymously with red bone marrow.

Synonyms

• Hematopoietic marrow
• Myeloid tissue

Related Phrases / Concepts

• Bone marrow transplant: A medical procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy stem cells.
• Bone marrow biopsy: A diagnostic test where a sample of bone marrow, often from the hip bone, is extracted for examination.
• Marrow cavity: The central space within a bone that contains marrow.

Noun

1. bone marrow of children and some adult bones that is required for the formation of red blood cells