Dictionary:

hyaline

  (hī'ə-lĭn, -līn')

Resembling glass, as in translucence or transparency; glassy.

1. Something that is translucent or transparent.
2. Variant of hyalin.

[Late Latin hyalinus, from Greek hualinos, of glass, from hualos, glass.]

Resembling glass, as in translucence or transparency; glassy.

1. Something that is translucent or transparent.
2. Variant of hyalin.

Glassy; pellucid.

• h. body — see apoptotic body.
• h. cartilage — see hyaline cartilage.
• h. cast — see urinary cast.
• h. degeneration — see hyaline degeneration.
• h. globules — composed of fibrin degradation products these contribute to the formation of microthrombi. Called also shock bodies.
• h. membrane — composed of fibrin and cell debris, this membrane lines the alveoli when there has been severe damage to the alveolar epithelium. See also hyaline membrane (3).
• h. membrane disease — a disorder of newborn animals, most commonly foals, characterized by the formation of a hyalin-like membrane lining the terminal respiratory passages. Neonates with this disease do not secrete adequate quantities of surfactant, which is secreted by type II alveolar epithelial cells, and decreases the surface tension of the fluids lining the alveoli and bronchioles. When the surface tension is kept low, air can pass through the fluids and into the alveoli. If the surface tension is not decreased by adequate supplies of surfactant, the alveoli cannot fill with air and there is partial or complete collapse of the lung (atelectasis). Thus the foal with hyaline membrane disease suffers from respiratory embarrassment with severe dyspnea. See also neonatal maladjustment syndrome.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: a glassy translucent material that occurs in hyaline cartilage or in certain skin conditions
  Synonym: hyalin

The adjective hyaline has one meaning:

Meaning #1: resembling glass in transparency or translucency
  Synonym: hyaloid

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)