chorionic villus
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
chorionic villus
n.
Any of the minute fingerlike projections of the fetal chorion that contain fetal blood vessels and that combine with maternal uterine tissue to form the placenta.
chorionic villus
Etymology: Gk, chorion + L, villus, shaggy hair
any of the tiny vascular fibrils on the surface of the chorion that infiltrate the maternal blood sinuses of the endometrium and help form the placenta.
villus
pl. villi [L.] a small process or protrusion, as from the free surface of a membrane.
arachnoid villus
microscopic projections of the arachnoid into some of the venous sinuses. Called also arachnoid granulations.
chorionic villus
threadlike projections originally occurring uniformly over the external surface of the chorion.
intestinal villus
multitudinous threadlike projections covering the surface of the mucous membrane lining the small intestine, serving as the sites of absorption of fluids and nutrients.
)
Organization of an intestinal villus. By permission from Guyton R, Hall JE, Textbook of Medical Physiology, Saunders, 2000
synovial villus
slender projections from the surface of the synovial membrane into the cavity of a joint; called also haversian glands.