Canaliculální

Canaliculální refers to anatomical structures that are small canals or channels. In biology and medicine, this term is most commonly used to describe the canaliculi within bone tissue and the lacrimal canaliculi in the eye.

Bone canaliculi are microscopic channels that form a network within compact bone. They connect the lacunae, which house osteocytes, to each other and to the Haversian canals. Through these canaliculi, osteocytes receive nutrients and oxygen from the blood supply and can also remove waste products. This interconnected network is crucial for maintaining the health and viability of bone cells.

The lacrimal canaliculi are small ducts located in the inner corner of the eyelids. They begin at a small opening called the lacrimal punctum and extend medially to drain tears from the surface of the eye into the lacrimal sac, and then down into the nasal cavity via the nasolacrimal duct. This drainage system is essential for maintaining ocular lubrication and clearing debris.

The term "canaliculi" is the plural form, with "canaliculi" referring to multiple such channels, while "canaliculi" can refer to a single channel. The function of these structures is always to facilitate the passage of fluids, nutrients, or waste products within a specific tissue or organ.