Taber's Medical Dictionary
membrane
(mem′brān″)
[L. membrana, parchment]
1. A thin, pliable layer of tissue that lines a tube or cavity, covers an organ or structure, or separates one part from another.
2. A very thin sheet of polymer, ceramics, glass, or metal.
alveolocapillary membrane
The membrane through which gases must pass as they diffuse from air to blood (oxygen) or blood to air (carbon dioxide), including the alveolar fluid and surfactant, cell of the alveolar wall, interstitial space (tissue fluid), and cell of the capillary wall.
SYN: SEE: respiratory membrane
ALVEOLOCAPILLARY MEMBRANE
arachnoid membrane
The delicate middle membrane of the three meninges, which enclose the brain and spinal cord. The arachnoid membrane is 5-6 cells thick. It is adherent to the inner surface of the dura by dural border cells. It is connected to the pia mater by a spiderweb of thin connections, owing to their common embryological origin as the leptomeninges. The space between the arachnoid and pia (the subdural space) is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
SYN: SEE: arachnoid; SEE: arachnoid mater
atlanto-occipital membrane
A single midline ligamentous membrane that extends from the arch of the atlas to the borders of the foramen magnum.
basement membrane
A two-part extracellular membrane found at the interface between some tissues, e.g., skin and dermis. The basement membrane is made of a basal lamina along the cell surfaces, coated by a stronger collagen-rich layer (reticular lamina).
basilar membrane
The membrane extending from the tympanic lip of the osseous spiral lamina to the crest of the spiral ligament in the cochlea of the ear. It separates the tympanic canal from the cochlear duct and supports the organ of Corti.
illus. under SEE: organ of Corti
black membrane
An artificially constructed membrane made of lipids arranged in a bilayer.
Bowman membrane
SEE: Bowman, Sir William
Bruch membrane
SEE: Bruch, Karl
buccopharyngeal membrane
In the embryo, the membrane that separates the oral cavity from the foregut until the fourth week of development.
SYN: SEE: oral membrane; SEE: pharyngeal membrane
cell membrane
The membrane that forms the outer boundary of a cell. It is made of phospholipids, protein, and cholesterol, with carbohydrates on the outer surface.
SYN: SEE: plasma membrane
CELL MEMBRANE
CELL MEMBRANE
choroid membrane
SEE: choroid
costocoracoid membrane
The dense membrane between the pectoralis minor and subclavius muscles.
cricothyroid membrane
The membrane connecting the thyroid and cricoid cartilages of the larynx.
croupous membrane
SEE: False membrane.
Debove membrane
SEE: Debove membrane
decidual membrane
Any of the membranes formed in the endometrium of a pregnant uterus.
SEE: decidua
Demours membrane
SEE: Demours membrane
Descemet membrane
SEE: Descemet membrane
diphtheritic membrane
The fibrinous false membrane on the mucous surfaces in diphtheria.
dural membrane
SEE: Dura mater.
egg membrane
Any of the protective membranes or envelopes enclosing an ovum. It may be primary (formed by egg itself, as in vitelline membrane), secondary (formed by follicle cells, as in zona pellucida), or tertiary (formed by oviduct or uterus, as in albumin and shell of hen's egg).
elastic membrane
Any of several membranes formed of elastic connective tissue fibers.
enamel membrane
SEE: 1. Nasmyth membrane.
2. The thin internal layer of cells of the enamel organ.
epiretinal membrane
A membrane formed from excessive proliferation of retinal pigment epithelial cells and extracellular proteins on the retinal surface. This condition, which can distort vision, is typically found in people over 50. Marked visual blurring caused by epiretinal membranes occurs in macular pucker.
SEE: macular pucker
external limiting membrane
1. The outer membrane of the embryonic neural tube.
2. The membrane in the retina of the eye through which the receptor portions of the rods and cones protrude.
false membrane
A membrane of fibrinous exudate on a mucous surface of a membrane, as in croup or diphtheria.
SYN: SEE: croupous membrane
fenestrated membrane
A membrane possessing minute round or oval openings. It is found in the tunica intima and tunica media of medium-sized and large arteries.
fetal membrane
Any of the membranes that protect and support the embryo and provide its nutrition, respiration, and excretion. The structures are the yolk sac, allantois, amnion, chorion, decidua, and placenta.
fibrous membrane
A membrane composed entirely of fibrous connective tissue. Examples include the fasciae, aponeuroses, perichondrium, periosteum, dura mater, and the capsules of some organs.
glassy membrane
1. The transparent membrane that separates membrana granulosa from the theca of the graafian follicle.
2. The internal membrane of a hair follicle separating the epithelial and connective tissues.
glial cell membrane
An extremely delicate membrane, formed of foot plates of astrocytes, that surrounds all the blood vessels in the brain, spinal cord, and the lining of the pia mater, separating these vessels from the nervous tissue proper. This membrane is thought to be one of the components of the blood-brain barrier.
homogeneous membrane
A fine membrane covering villi of the placenta.
Huxley membrane
SEE: Huxley, Thomas H.
hyaline membrane
The membrane between the outer root sheath of a hair follicle and the inner fibrous layer.
hyaloid membrane
The membrane that envelops the vitreous humor.
hyoglossal membrane
A transverse fibrous membrane uniting tongue to hyoid bone.
internal limiting membrane
1. The inner membrane of ependymal cells lining the embryonic neural tube.
2. The glial membrane forming the innermost layer of the retina and the iris.
interosseous membrane
1. A fibrous membrane in the forearm connecting ulna to radius.
2. A fibrous membrane in the leg connecting tibia to fibula.
INTEROSSEOUS MEMBRANE
laryngeal mucous membrane
The mucous membrane, glands, and cilia that line the larynx.
lingual mucous membrane
The mucosa covering the tongue.
masticatory mucous membrane
The mucosa of the mouth involved in the masticatory process. It is characterized by a keratinized surface epithelium and includes the hard palate, gingiva, and dorsum of the tongue.
medullary membrane
SEE: Endosteum.
mucous membrane
Any of the membranes that line passages and cavities communicating with the atmosphere outside the body. They consist of epithelium, a basement membrane, and an underlying layer of connective tissue (lamina propria). Mucus-secreting cells or glands are usually present in the epithelium but may be absent. Mucous membranes and the skin prevent the entry of pathogens. Some mucosal surfaces in the digestive tract have special characteristics that tend to repel or kill organisms, such as the extremely high acid level on the mucosa of the stomach. Others are normally colonized with commensal organisms that discourage the growth of pathogens.
nasal mucous membrane
The mucosa lining the nasal cavity and characterized by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells.
Nasmyth membrane
SEE: Nasmyth membrane
nictitating membrane
A third eyelid present in lower vertebrates and represented in humans by a fold of the conjunctiva, the plica semilunaris.
nuclear membrane
The two-layered membrane surrounding the chromosomes of a cell. The membrane has pores and its outer layer is continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell.
SEE: nuclear envelope
obturator membrane
A fibrous membrane closing the obturator foramen.
olfactory membrane
The membrane in the upper part of the nasal cavity that contains olfactory receptors.
oral membrane
oronasal membrane
A double epithelial membrane separating the nasal pits from the embryonic oral cavity.
otolithic membrane
A gelatinous membrane containing otoconia or otoliths, found on the surface of maculae in the inner ear.
palatal mucous membrane
The membrane of the mouth on the hard and soft palates. The hard palate has heavily keratinized epithelium and copious mucous glands or fat in the submucosa. The mobile soft palate contains muscle in addition to mucous glands, and is much less keratinized on the surface.
peridental membrane
periodontal membrane
permeable membrane
A membrane that permits passage of water and certain substances in solution.
SEE: osmosis; SEE: selectively permeable membrane; SEE: semipermeable membrane
persistent pupillary membrane
SEE: pupillary membrane
pharyngeal membrane
pharyngeal mucous membrane
The membrane lining the pharynx. The mucosa of the nasopharynx is pseudostratified ciliated epithelium; the mucosa of the oropharynx and laryngopharynx is stratified squamous epithelium.
pial membrane
SEE: Pia mater.
placental membrane
The membrane of the placenta that separates the maternal blood from fetal blood.
plasma membrane
SEE: Cell membrane.
pseudoserous membrane
A membrane resembling a serous membrane but differing in structure as the endothelium.
pupillary membrane
The transparent membrane closing the fetal pupil. If it persists after birth, it is called a persistent pupillary membrane.
pyogenic membrane
The granular membrane lining an abscess or fistula.
pyophylactic membrane
The membrane lining an abscess cavity, separating it from healthy tissue.
quadrangular membrane
The upper portion of the elastic membrane of the larynx extending from the aryepiglottic folds to the level of the ventricular folds below.
Reissner membrane
SEE: Reissner membrane
respiratory membrane
reticular membrane
The membrane formed by the cuticular plates of the distal ends of supporting cells in the organ of Corti.
Ruysch membrane
SEE: Ruysch membrane
schneiderian membrane
SEE: Nasal mucosa.
Schwann membrane
SEE: Schwann, Theodore
selectively permeable membrane
A membrane that allows one substance, such as water, to pass through more readily than another, such as salt or sugar.
semipermeable membrane
A membrane that allows passage of water but not of substances in solution.
SEE: osmosis
serous membrane
A membrane consisting of mesothelium lying on a thin layer of connective tissue that lines the closed cavities (peritoneal, pleural, and pericardial) of the body and is reflected over the organs in the cavity. Serous fluid, similar to lymph, decreases friction between the two layers.
Shrapnell membrane
SEE: Shrapnell membrane
submucous membrane
SEE: submucosa.
synovial membrane
The membrane lining the capsule of a joint and secreting synovial fluid. The synovial membrane is pink, smooth, and shiny and is made of an intima lining a stronger, vascular fibrous membrane. The intima contains synoviocytes (fibroblast- and macrophage-like cells), which remove debris from the synovial fluid and synthesize some of the mucin (specifically, hyaluronic acid) of the synovial fluid. Most of the synovial fluid is filtered from the blood vessels of the outer fibrous layer of the synovial membrane.
SYN: SEE: synovium
tectorial membrane
The jelly-like membrane projecting from the vestibular lip of the osseous spiral lamina and overlying the spiral organ of Corti of the inner ear.
thyrohyoid membrane
The membrane joining the hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage.
tympanic membrane
The three-layered membrane at the inner (medial) end of the external auditory canal, forming the lateral boundary of the middle ear cavity. The outer layer of the tympanic membrane is keratinized skin, continuous with the skin lining the external ear canal.
SYN: SEE: drum; SEE: eardrum
SEE: ear thermometry; SEE: tympanum
unit membrane
The phospholipid bilayer first described as the typical cell membrane, then as the membrane of intracellular structures.
vapor-permeable membrane
A membrane, usually transparent, that is permeable to oxygen and water vapor. It may be prepared with an adhesive backing that will stick only to dry skin. This type of membrane has been used in covering wounds. The membrane must be applied properly without wrinkles and changed as often as necessary to prevent excess accumulation of fluid and bacteria under it.
vestibular membrane
The membrane in the cochlea of the inner ear that separates the cochlear duct from the vestibular canal.
vestibular mucous membrane
The mucosa of the oral vestibule with its nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium, elastic lamina propria, and seromucous labial glands.
virginal membrane
An obsolete term for the hymen.
vitelline membrane
The membrane that forms the surface layer of an ovum.
SYN: SEE: yolk membrane; SEE: zona pellucida
vitreous membrane
1. The inner membrane of the choroid.
2. The innermost layer of the connective tissue sheath surrounding a hair follicle.
Wachendorf membrane
SEE: Wachendorf membrane
yolk membrane
SEE: Vitelline membrane.
