- column
- 1. An anatomic part or structure in the form of a pillar or cylindric funiculus. SEE ALSO: fascicle. 2. A vertical object (usually cylindrical), mass, or formation. SYN: columna [TA]. [L. columna]- anal columns [TA] a number of vertical ridges in the mucous membrane of the upper half of the anal canal formed as the caliber of the canal is sharply reduced from that of the rectal ampulla. SYN: columnae anales [TA], Morgagni columns, rectal columns.- anterior c. [TA] the pronounced, ventrally oriented ridge of gray matter in each half of the spinal cord; it corresponds to the anterior or ventral horn appearing in transverse sections of the cord, and contains the motor neurons innervating the skeletal musculature of the trunk, neck, and extremities. SEE ALSO: gray columns. SYN: columna anterior [TA].- c. of fornix [TA] that part of the fornix that curves down rostral to the dorsal thalamus and adjacent to the interventricular foramen of Monro, then continues through the hypothalamus to the mamillary body; consisting primarily of fibers originating in the hippocampus and subiculum, the c. of fornix is the direct continuation of the body of the fornix. SYN: columna fornicis [TA], anterior pillar of fornix.- general somatic afferent c. in the embryo, a c. of gray matter in the hindbrain and spinal cord, represented in the adult by the sensory nuclei of the trigeminal nerve and relay cells in the dorsal horn.- general somatic efferent c. a c. of gray matter in the embryo, represented in the adult by the nuclei of the oculomotor, trochlear, abducens, and hypoglossal nerves and by motor neurons of the ventral horn of the spinal cord.- general visceral afferent c. a c. of gray matter in the hindbrain and spinal cord of the embryo, developing into the nucleus of the solitary tract and relay cells of the spinal cord.- general visceral efferent c. a c. of gray matter in the hindbrain and spinal cord of the embryo, represented in the adult by the dorsal nucleus of the vagus, the superior and inferior salivatory and Edinger-Westphal nuclei and the visceral motor neurons of the spinal cord.- Goll c. SYN: gracile fasciculus.- gray columns the three somewhat ridge-shaped masses of gray matter (anterior, posterior, and intermediate columns) that extend longitudinally through the center of each lateral half of the spinal cord; in transverse sections these columns appear as gray horns and are therefore commonly called ventral or anterior, dorsal or posterior, and lateral horn, respectively. SYN: columnae griseae [TA].- intermediate c. [TA] the intermediate region of the spinal cord gray matter located between the posterior and anterior horns. This area contains a number of nuclei that collectively comprise spinal lamina VIII [TA] of Rexed. The nuclei of the intermediate c., or intermediate zone, are the intermediolateral nucleus in the lateral horn, central intermediate substance, posterior or dorsal thoracic nucleus (nucleus of Clarke), lateral intermediate substance, intermediomedial nucleus, sacral parasympathetic nuclei [TA] (nuclei parasympathici sacrales [TA]), nucleus of pudendal nerve [TA] (nucleus nervi pudendi), portions of the spinal reticular formation [TA] (formatio reticularis spinalis [TA]), and the anterior medial nucleus [TA] (nucleus medialis anterior [TA]). SYN: columna intermedia [TA], intermediate region [TA], intermediate zone [TA].- lateral c. a slight protrusion of the gray matter of the spinal cord into the lateral funiculus of either side, especially marked in the thoracic region where it encloses preganglionic motor neurons of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system; it corresponds to the lateral horn appearing in transverse sections of the spinal cord. SEE ALSO: gray columns. SYN: columna lateralis, lateral c. of spinal cord.- Lissauer c. SYN: dorsolateral fasciculus.- posterior c. [TA] the pronounced, dorsolaterally oriented ridge of gray matter in each lateral half of the spinal cord, corresponding to the posterior or dorsal horn appearing in transverse sections of the cord. SYN: columna posterior [TA], dorsal c. of spinal cord, posterior c. of spinal cord (1).- posterior c. of spinal cord 1. SYN: posterior c.. 2. in clinical parlance, the term often refers to the posterior funiculus of the spinal cord.- renal columns [TA] the prolongations of cortical substance separating the pyramids of the kidney. SYN: columnae renales [TA], Bertin columns.- Rolando c. a slight ridge on either side of the medulla oblongata related to the descending trigeminal tract and nucleus.- special somatic afferent c. a c. of gray matter in the hindbrain of the embryo, represented in the adult by the nuclei of the auditory and vestibular nerves.- special visceral efferent c. a c. of gray matter in the hindbrain of the embryo, represented in the adult by the trigeminal and facial nuclei and the nucleus ambiguus. SYN: branchial efferent c..- c. of Spitzka-Lissauer dorsolateral fasciculus.- Türck c. SYN: anterior corticospinal tract.- vaginal columns two slight longitudinal ridges, anterior and posterior, in the vaginal mucous membrane, each marked by a number of transverse mucosal folds. SYN: columnae rugarum, rugal columns of vagina.- vertebral c. [TA] the series of vertebrae that extend from the cranium to the coccyx, providing support and forming a flexible bony case for the spinal cord. SYN: columna vertebralis [TA], spine (2) [TA], backbone, dorsal spine, rachis, spina dorsalis, spinal c., vertebrarium.
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col·umn 'käl-əm n a longitudinal subdivision of the spinal cord that resembles a column or pillar: asa) any of the principal longitudinal subdivisions of gray matter or white matter in each lateral half of the spinal cord see DORSAL HORN, GRAY COLUMN, LATERAL COLUMN (1), VENTRAL HORN compare FUNICULUS (a)b) any of a number of smaller bundles of spinal nerve fibers: FASCICULUS* * *
n.(in anatomy) any pillar-shaped structure, especially any of the tracts of grey matter found in the spinal cord.* * *
col·umn (kolґəm) [L. columna] an anatomical part in the form of a pillarlike structure, sometimes used specifically for the gray column of the spinal cord; see also columna.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
