Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,916,464,407 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

lacuna
(redirected from osteocyte lacuna)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
lacuna /la·cu·na/ (lah-ku´nah) pl. lacu´nae   [L.]
1. a small pit or hollow cavity.
2. a defect or gap, as in the field of vision (scotoma).lacu´nar

absorption lacuna  resorption l.
bone lacuna  a small cavity within the bone matrix, containing an osteocyte; from it slender canaliculi radiate and penetrate the adjacent lamellae to anastomose with the canaliculi of neighboring lacunae, thus forming a system of cavities interconnected by minute canals.
cartilage lacuna  any of the small cavities within the cartilage matrix, containing a chondrocyte.
Howship's lacuna  resorption l.
intervillous lacuna  one of the blood spaces of the placenta in which the fetal villi are found.
lateral lacunae  venous meshworks within the dura mater on either side of the superior sagittal sinus.
osseous lacuna  bone l.
lacuna pharyn´gis  a depression at the pharyngeal end of the eustachian tube.
resorption lacuna  a pit or groove in developing bone that is undergoing resorption; frequently found to contain osteoclasts.
trophoblastic lacuna  intervillous l.

la·cu·na (l-kyn)
n. pl. la·cu·nas or la·cu·nae (-n)
1. An anatomical cavity, space, or depression, especially in a bone.
2. An empty space or a missing part; a gap; a defect.
3. An abnormal space between the strata or between the cellular elements of the epidermis.

la·cunal adj.

lacuna
[ləkyo̅o̅′nə] pl. lacunae
Etymology: L, pit
1 a hollow within a structure, especially bony tissue, in which lie osteoblasts.
2 a gap, as in the field of vision.

Lacuna
Histology A small, hollow chamber that houses an osteocyte in mature bone tissue or a chondrocyte in cartilage tissue
Medspeak A small pit, cavity, defect or gap

lacuna [lah-ku´nah] (L.)
1. a small pit or hollow cavity.
2. a defect or gap, as in the field of vision (scotoma). adj., adj lacu´nar.
absorption lacuna resorption lacuna.
bone lacuna a small cavity within the bone matrix, containing an osteocyte, and from which slender canaliculi radiate and penetrate the adjacent lamellae to anastomose with the canaliculi of neighboring lacunae, thus forming a system of cavities interconnected by minute canals.
cartilage lacuna any of the small cavities within the cartilage matrix, containing a chondrocyte.
Howship's lacuna resorption lacuna.
intervillous lacuna one of the spaces of the placenta occupied by maternal blood, into which the fetal villi project.
osseous lacuna bone lacuna.
lacuna pharyn´gis a depression of the pharyngeal end of the eustachian tube.
resorption lacuna a pit or concavity found in bones undergoing resorption, frequently containing osteoclasts. Similar lacunae also may be found in eroding surfaces of cementum.

lacuna (lkoo´n),
n a term used in anatomic nomenclature to designate a small hollow cavity or pit.
lacuna, absorption (Howship's lacuna),
n an area (pit) of bone resorption, usually irregular in outline, and often containing osteoclasts.
lacuna, osteocyte,
n a hollow cavity within bone, containing osteocytes, from which canaliculi, containing protoplasmic processes of the osteocytes, radiate.

lacuna
pl. lacunae [L.]
1. a small pit or hollow cavity.
2. a defect or gap, as in the field of vision (scotoma).

absorption lacuna
a pit or groove in developing bone that is undergoing resorption; frequently found to contain osteoclasts.
bone lacuna
a small cavity within the bone matrix, containing an osteocyte, and from which slender canaliculi radiate and penetrate the adjacent lamellae to anastomose with the canaliculi of neighboring lacunae, thus forming a system of cavities interconnected by minute canals.
cartilage lacuna
any of the small cavities within the cartilage matrix, containing a chondrocyte.
Howship's lacuna
the concave cavities which are formed by osteoclasts in the process of bone resorption.
osseous lacuna
bone lacuna (see above).
osteocytic lacuna
see bone lacuna (above).
urethral lacuna
numerous small depressions or pits in the mucous membrane of the urethra.
vascular lacuna
a breach in any membrane or other tissue which is navigated by blood vessels.


Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Add definition
Mentioned in?   Medical browser?   Full browser?
 
 
 
Medical Dictionary
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Advertise with Us | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.