retikulumi

Retikulumi is a term used in biology and medicine to refer to network-like, or netted, structures that form supportive or organizational frameworks in various tissues and cells. The word derives from the Latin reticulum, meaning a small net.

In histology, reticular connective tissue consists of a meshwork of reticular fibers made primarily of type III collagen. This reticular network is produced by reticular cells and forms the supporting stroma in several organs, including lymph nodes, the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. The reticular framework provides scaffolding for other cells, guides cell movement, and helps maintain organ architecture.

In cell biology, the reticulum often refers to the endoplasmic reticulum, a continuous membrane network of tubules and flattened sacs within the cytoplasm. The rough endoplasmic reticulum is studded with ribosomes and plays a key role in protein synthesis, while the smooth endoplasmic reticulum lacks ribosomes and is involved in lipid synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and detoxification processes. The endoplasmic reticulum network is connected to the nuclear envelope and extends throughout the cytoplasm, forming an interconnected system.

The term is also used in botany and anatomy to describe net-like or reticulated patterns in leaves, vasculature, and other tissues where a mesh or lattice provides structural organization.

See also: reticular tissue, reticular fibers, endoplasmic reticulum, type III collagen.