glomus

1. [TA] A small globular body. 2. A highly organized arteriolovenular anastomosis forming a tiny nodular focus in the nailbed, pads of the fingers and toes, ears, hands, and feet and many other organs of the body. The afferent arteriole enters the connective tissue capsule of the g., becomes devoid of an internal elastic membrane, and develops a relatively thick epithelioid muscular wall and small lumen; the anastomosis may be branched and convoluted, richly innervated with sympathetic and myelinated nerves, and connected with a short, thin-walled vein that drains into a periglomic vein and then into one of the veins of the skin. The g. functions as a shunt- or bypass-regulating mechanism in the flow of blood, temperature, and conservation of heat in the part as well as in the indirect control of the blood pressure and other functions of the circulatory system. SYN: glandulae glomiformes (1), glomiform glands, g. body. SYN: glome. [L. g., a ball]

- aortic glomera paraaortic bodies, under body.

- g. aorticum [TA] SYN: paraaortic bodies, under body.

- g. caroticum [TA] SYN: carotid body.

- choroid g. SYN: choroid enlargement.

- g. choroideum [TA] SYN: choroid enlargement.

- g. coccygeum SYN: coccygeal body.

- intravagal g. a minute collection of chemoreceptor cells on the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. A tumor of this g. may cause deafness and tinnitus. SYN: g. intravagale.

- g. intravagale SYN: intravagal g..

- jugular g. a microscopic collection of chemoreceptor tissue in the adventitia of the jugular bulb; a tumor of this g. may cause paralysis of the vocal cords, attacks of dizziness, blackouts, and nystagmus. SYN: g. jugulare.

- g. jugulare SYN: jugular g..

- g. pulmonale SYN: pulmonary g..

- pulmonary g. a structure similar to the carotid body, found in relation to the pulmonary artery. SYN: g. pulmonale.

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glo·mus 'glō-məs n, pl glom·era 'gläm-ə-rə also glo·mi 'glō-.mī, -.mē a small arteriovenous anastomosis together with its supporting structures: as

a) a vascular tuft that suggests a renal glomerulus and that develops from the embryonic aorta in relation to the pronephros

b) CAROTID BODY

c) a tuft of the choroid plexus protruding into each lateral ventricle of the brain

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n. (pl. glomera)

a small communication between a tiny artery and vein in the skin of the limbs. It is concerned with the regulation of temperature.

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glo·mus (gloґməs) pl. glomґera [L. “a ball”] 1. a small, histologically recognizable body, composed of fine arterioles connecting directly with veins, and possessing a rich nerve supply. 2. glomus body.