trabecula

A trabecula (plural trabeculae) is a small beam, rod, or plate that forms a supporting network within various tissues. The term comes from Latin trabecula, meaning “a small beam.” In anatomy, trabeculae provide structural support, help distribute mechanical stress, and create a porous architecture that houses cells, vessels, or other tissue components.

In bone, trabeculae are the thin, lattice-like elements of cancellous (spongy) bone. They align along lines of mechanical load to give strength while reducing weight. The spaces between trabeculae contain bone marrow, and the lattice continually remodels in response to stress and metabolic demands.

In the heart, the ventricles contain trabeculae carneae—irregular muscular ridges lining the ventricular walls. These structures contribute to efficient contraction and help prevent the walls from sticking together during systole.

In lymphoid organs, such as the spleen and lymph nodes, trabeculae are connective tissue strands that extend from the capsule into the parenchyma. They form a supporting framework, subdivide tissue into compartments, and carry blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics.

In the eye, the trabecular meshwork forms a porous drainage network at the iridocorneal angle. Aqueous humor passes through this meshwork into Schlemm’s canal, enabling drainage from the anterior chamber; dysfunction of this pathway can contribute to glaucoma.

Overall, trabeculae are diverse structural elements across organs, united by their role as small supportive beams that organize tissue architecture and function.