palisading

Palisading refers to a fence-like arrangement of upright elements or to a pattern of cells arranged in parallel, fence-like rows. The word derives from palisade, a wooden fence built with vertical stakes, often sharpened at the top and bound together with crosspieces.

In construction and historical contexts, a palisade is a defensive barrier formed by stakes set into the ground. Palisades enclose or protect settlements, camps, or fortifications and are typically reinforced with earthwork, ditches, or parapets. They are found in many regions and periods, from Iron Age Europe to colonial North America. In modern practice, palisades continue to be used as security fencing and as temporary or decorative barriers, made of treated timber or metal, mounted in vertical pales.

In pathology and biology, palisading describes cells arranged in a fence-like pattern. In histology, tumor cells may line up along the periphery of nests or around a central zone, creating a palisaded appearance. This pattern is characteristic of certain conditions, most notably basal cell carcinoma, and can aid diagnosis when observed under a microscope.

In geology or geography, the term can describe rock formations that resemble a line of vertical walls, such as cliff faces or ridges that stand in a row, with some locales using the name palisades for these features.