Plural of cyst; abnormal closed sacs or capsules in the body that contain fluid, air, or other substances.
From Greek 'kystis' meaning bladder or bag. The medical term was adopted directly from ancient Greek, where it originally referred to the urinary bladder. The meaning expanded to include any bladder-like structure or abnormal sac in the body.
Cysts represent the body's fascinating ability to create its own internal architecture - when tissue becomes abnormal, it often walls itself off in a protective capsule, creating these mysterious fluid-filled chambers. It's remarkable how our bodies use the same basic strategy that ancient Greek physicians observed in bladders to contain and isolate problems.
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