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1. [TA] A small space, cavity, or depression. 2. A gap or defect. 3. An abnormal space between strata or between the cellular elements of the epidermis. 4. SYN: corneal space. [L. a pit, dim. of lacus, a hollow, a lake]
- cartilage l. a cavity within the matrix of cartilage, occupied by a chondrocyte. SYN: cartilage space.
- cerebral l. a small circumscribed loss of brain tissue caused by occlusion of one of the small penetrating arteries. SYN: l. cerebri.
- l. cerebri SYN: cerebral l..
- Howship lacunae tiny depressions, pits, or irregular grooves in bone that is being resorbed by osteoclasts. SYN: resorption lacunae.
- lateral lacunae of superior sagittal sinus [TA] lateral expansions of the superior sagittal sinus of the dura mater, often increasing in width with advancing age until, in the very old, they may extend two cm lateral to the midline; the endothelium-lined lumens of the lacunae are usually reduced to a spongelike labyrinth by numerous arachnoid granulations and dural trabeculae. SYN: lacunae laterales [TA], lateral lacunae [TA], lateral lakes, lateral venous lacunae, parasinoidal sinuses.
- l. magna a recess on the roof of the fossa navicularis of the penis, formed by a fold of mucous membrane, the valve of the navicular fossa.
- l. musculorum SYN: muscular space of retroinguinal compartment.
- l. musculorum retroinguinalis SYN: muscular space of retroinguinal compartment.
- pharyngeal l. a depression near the pharyngeal opening of the pharyngotympanic (auditory) tube. SYN: l. pharyngis.
- l. pharyngis SYN: pharyngeal l..
- resorption lacunae SYN: Howship lacunae.
- trophoblastic l. one of the spaces in the early syncytiotrophoblastic layer of the chorion before the formation of villi; in human embryos maternal blood enters these spaces by the 10th day; with the differentiation of the chorionic villi they become intervillous spaces, sometimes called intervillous lacunae.
- urethral l. [TA] one of a number of little recesses in the mucous membrane of the spongy urethra into which empty the ducts of the urethral glands. SYN: l. urethralis [TA], Morgagni l..
- l. urethralis, pl.lacunae urethrales [TA] SYN: urethral l..
- l. vasorum SYN: vascular space of retroinguinal compartment.
- l. vasorum retroinguinalis [TA] SYN: vascular space of retroinguinal compartment.
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la·cu·na lə-'k(y)ü-nə n, pl la·cu·nae -'kyü-(.)nē, -'kü-.nī a small cavity, pit, or discontinuity in an anatomical structure: as
a) one of the follicles in the mucous membrane of the urethra
b) one of the minute cavities in bone or cartilage occupied by the osteocytes
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n. (pl. lacunae)
(in anatomy) a small cavity or depression; for example, one of the spaces in compact bone in which a bone cell lies.
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la·cu·na (lə-kuґnə) gen. and pl. lacuґnae [L.] 1. a small pit or hollow cavity, such as one within or between other body structures. 2. a defect or gap, as in the field of vision (scotoma). lacunar adjMedical dictionary. 2011.