Health Dictionary
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Lamina (anatomy)
Introduction
Lamina is a general anatomical term meaning “plate” or “layer.” It is used in both gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy to describe structures.
Some examples include:
- The laminae of the thyroid cartilage: two leaflike plates of cartilage that make up the walls of the structure
- The vertebral laminae: plates of bone that form the posterior walls of each vertebra, enclosing the spinal cord
- The laminae of the thalamus: the layers of thalamus tissue
- The lamina propria: a connective tissue layer under the epithelium of an organ
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]