arternes

Arternes is a term used primarily in speculative biology and science fiction to describe a hypothetical network of internal conduits within living organisms. Unlike real arteries or nerves, arternes are a fictional construct used to explain the transport of alternative fluids or energy forms.

Origin and usage: The word arterne is a coined term and is not part of established biology. Its use varies by author and setting, often to enable worldbuilding around physiology, healing, or magical systems.

Concept and structure: In many depictions, arternes resemble a branching network of tubes that runs in parallel with or interwoven with the circulatory and nervous systems. They may carry a bioenergetic substance, life force, or other medium and can be organized into layers of larger trunks, mid-sized channels, and fine conduits. Some versions include gating, regeneration, or dynamic remodeling in response to activity.

Functions and implications: Arternes are commonly invoked to account for rapid healing, energy transfer, or enhanced sensory capability in fiction. They can influence how diseases, growth, or combat are portrayed, and help set constraints for metabolism and ecology in worldbuilding.

See also and references: There is no standard set of references for arternes beyond the fiction in which they appear; readers are directed to related concepts such as arteries, veins, meridians, and speculative biology. The term should be understood as a fictional or hypothetical construct rather than a citation-backed biological term.