Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large intestines. The commonly used abbreviation for gastrointestinal is GI. (Outside of medicine, GI can also stand for galvanized iron, general issue or government issue-as in GI Joe).
Before the extracellular matrix is calcified, the tissue is called osteoid (bone-like) tissue. When the concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions rise high enough, they are deposited into the extracellular matrix, and the bone calcifies.
In anatomy, a sesamoid bone (/ËsÉsÉmÉÉªd/) is a bone embedded within a tendon or a muscle. It is derived from the Latin word sesamum (sesame seed), due to the small size of most sesamoids. Often, these bones form in response to strain. In the hand â two sesamoid bones are commonly found in the distal portions of the first metacarpal bone (within the tendons of adductor pollicis and flexor pollicis brevis).