Alveolus ( , ; , ; ) is a general anatomical term for a concave cavity or pit.
Uses in anatomy and zoology
- Pulmonary alveolus, an air sac in the lungs
- Alveolar cell or pneumocyte
- Alveolar duct
- Alveolar macrophage
- Mammary alveolus, a milk sac in the mammary glands
- Alveolar gland
- Dental alveolus, also known as "tooth socket", a socket in the jaw that holds the roots of teeth
- Alveolar ridge, the jaw structure that contains the dental alveoli
- Alveolar canals
- Alveolar process
- Arteries:
- Superior alveolar artery (disambiguation)
- Anterior superior alveolar arteries
- Posterior superior alveolar artery
- Inferior alveolar artery
- Nerves:
- Anterior superior alveolar nerve
- Middle superior alveolar nerve
- Inferior alveolar nerve
Uses in botany, microbiology and related disciplines
- Surface cavities or pits, such as on the stem of Myrmecodia species
- Pits on honeycombed surfaces such as receptacles of many angiosperms
- Pits on the fruiting bodies of fungi such as Boletus or the ascocarps of fungi such as typical ascomycetes
- Pits on the valves of the tests of many diatoms
- Membrane supporting vesicles of the alveolates
Uses in linguistics
- Alveolar consonant, a linguistic vocalization which involves placing one's tongue against the alveolar ridge
- Alveolar stop
See also
- Alveolar soft part sarcoma, a very rare type of soft-tissue sarcoma,
- Acinus, considered by some (but not all) sources to be synonymous with Alveolus