Histology Glossary - F

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A Glossary of Histological and Micro-Anatomical Terms

 Histology Glossary: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Including historical origins and eponyms compiled by Dr Brian Freeman, Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, revised 2000.
ANAT2241 Support | Histology | Histology Stains | Historic Terminology | Embryology Glossary


Abbreviations: ( ) plural form in brackets, A. Arabic, abb. abbreviation, c. circa =about, F. French adj. adjective, G. Greek, Ge. German, cf. compare, L. Latin, dim. diminutive, NA. Nomina anatomica, q.v. which see, OF. Old French



Fabricius of Aquapendente, Hieronymus. ?1533,1537-1619 Studied under Fallopius; Padua anatomist; taught William Harvey; described valves in veins; bursa of F. = peritoneal blind pouch near anus in birds, producing lymphocytes.


facet F. facette = a face.


Fallopius, Gabriele. 1523-1563 Ferrara, Pisa & Padua anatomist & botanist; described accurately the inner ear, ethmoid bone, lacrimal duct, vagina, placenta; disproved earlier notion that ovarian ligaments conducted ovum to uterus; Fallopian tube = uterine tube (1561).


fascia (-ae) L. = a band, bandage; fibrous membrane covering and supporting muscles, cf. epimysium; hypodermis.


fascia adherens L. " + adhaerere = to stick to; most prominent component of the intercalated disc joining two cardiac muscle muscle cells; resembles zonula adherens of epithelium.


fascicle L. fasciculus = a little bundle, dim L. facis ( fasces was a symbolic bundle of rod with an axe in the middle); e.g., a bundle of nerve fibres, of muscle fibres.


fasciculata adj. L. " ; e.g., zona fasciculata = middle zone in adrenal cortex where cells are arranged in columns.


Fast green a synthetic dye resistant to fading used in histology & cytology.


fenestrated adj. L. fenestra = window; 1. of an aperture in a cell membrane (e.g., in a capillary endothelial cell) often closed by a membrane; 2. of an aperture in an elastic sheet in tunica media of an artery.


Ferrein, Antoine. 1692-1769 Paris surgeon & physician. F.'s processes = medullary rays of kidney.


fibre L. fibra = fibre (Vesalius, c. 1550); original meaning was a lobe, e.g., of lung, liver, or bowels examined for prophecies.


fibril L. fibrilla = a small fibre (from L. fibra = fibre); subunit of a fibre, i.e., many fibrils bundle together to form a fibre; cf. microfibril.


fibroblast L. fibra = fibre + G. blastos = germ; young flat, elongated cell forming collagen.


fibrocartilage L. " + cartilago = gristle; a type of cartilage with many collagen fibres.


fibrocyte L. " + kytos = a vessel; mature form of the fibroblast, especially in tendon.


field of view the circular field seen when looking into an optical device.


filiform L. filum = a thread + forma = form; hair-like, of thread of keratin emerging from the apex of a filiform lingual papilla.


fimbria L. = a fringe; e.g., fimbria at ovarian end of uterine tube; fimbria of 3rd ventricle of brain.


flavum L. flavus = yellow (often due to presence of large amount of elastic tissue); ligamentum flavum of vertebral column.


Flechsig, Paul Emil. 1847-1929 Leipzig psychiatrist; named pyramidal tract; nucleus of F. = superior vestibular nucelus; fasciculus of F. = fasciculus lateralis proprius of spinal cord; F.'s law of myelination.


flocculus L. = a little tuft, dim. L. floccus ; small lobe beneath each cerebellar hemisphere.


folium (-ia) L. = a leaf; 1. folds of cerebellar cortex; 2. leaf-like foliate papillae of tongue.


follicle L. folliculus = little bag (dim. of L. follis).


Fontana, Abbada Felice ?1720,1730-1805. Pisa philosopher; Director, Florence Museum of Natural Science; F.'s spirals = spiral pattern of nerves in a peripheral nerve fascicle; spaces of F. = spaces in the pectinate ligament of the iridocorneal angle of the iris through which the aqueous humour flows into the scleral venous canal (of Schlemm).


formalin fixative; aqueous solution of 37% formaldehyde, possibly with trace amounts of methanol.


fornix (-ices) L. = a cellar, a vault, the arch of a vault, a prostitute's cellar or brothel (hence fornication); conjuctival fornix = recess where palpebral conjunctiva joins to bulbar conjunctiva; vaginal fornices = vaults surrounding intravaginal part of cervix; fornix of the brain = arched bundle of fibres.


fossa (-ae) L. = a trench or ditch; axillary fossa = armpit; fossa ovalis = opening in thigh through which saphenous vein passes; fossa ovalis cordis = remnant of embryonic foramen ovale in heart; navicular fossa, q.v.


fourchette F. = fork; fold of mucous membrane at junction of posterior parts of labia majora.


fovea L. = a pit or depression.


fovea centralis L. = central depression; pit in retina which is site of maximum acuity.


foveola (-ae) L. = a little pit (dim. of L. fovea ).


foveola gastrica L. = a little pit of the stomach; a gastric pit = a groove into which several gastric glands drain.


frenulum L.= a small bridle, dim L. frenum ; frenulum linguae (when short - "tongue-tied").


fundus L. = bottom, base (as in fundamental); refers to region of organ (e.g., stomach, uterus, eye), gland (e.g., gastric glands).


fungiform L. fungus = mushroom + forma = a shape; of lingual papillae.


funiculus (-i) L. = a little cord (dim. L. funis = cord); a cordlike structure composed of longitudinally oriented fibres, vessels, etc., e.g., funiculi of white matter of spinal cord; funiculus spermaticus = spermatic cord; funiculus umbilicus = umbilical cord


fusiform L. fusus = spindle + forma = shape; see extrafusal/intrafusal.





Histology Glossary: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ANAT2241 Support | Histology | Histology Stains | Embryology Glossary

Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2024, March 19) Embryology Histology Glossary - F. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Histology_Glossary_-_F

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