kanalików

Kanalików is the genitive plural form of kanalik, a term used in Polish to denote small channels or ducts within living tissues. The word kanalik comes from the root kanal with a diminutive suffix, and the form kanalików appears in phrases describing multiple such structures. In biology and medicine, kanaliki are narrow conduits that transport fluids or secretions and are often formed by epithelial cells or by networks of tissue.

In anatomy the term kanalik is employed for various small ducts and channels. The most well-known examples are kanaliki żółciowe (bile canaliculi), tiny channels located between hepatocytes in the liver that collect bile and route it toward the bile ducts. In the kidney, kanalik refers to portions of the nephron or adjacent ducts that convey urine from the tubules into larger collecting ducts. Kanaliki can also occur in glandular tissue, connecting secretory acini to ducts and facilitating secretion flow.

Histologically, kanaliki may be intracellular or extracellular structures that concentrate or transport substances. Their walls are typically lined by epithelial cells and reinforced by tight junctions or other cellular junctions to regulate passage of fluids.

Clinical relevance varies by context; obstruction, inflammation, or damage affecting kanaliki can disrupt normal secretion or drainage. For example, blockage of canaliculi in the liver can contribute to cholestasis, whereas disruption of renal kanaliki can affect urine transport.