Noun, pl. infundibula
Anatomy
1. A funnel-shaped cavity or organ. (wiktionary.org)
- Brain: Infundibulum and infundibular stalk are alternative names for the pituitary stalk, the connection between the hypothalamus and the pars nervosa hypophyseos (the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland).
- Hair: An infundibulum is the cup or funnel in which a hair follicle grows.
- Heart: The infundibulum of the heart, or conus arteriosus, is the outflow portion of the right ventricle.
- Kidney: In the collecting system of the kidney, urine flows from the calyces (the minor calyx and the major calyx), through the infundibula into the renal pelves.
- Lungs: The alveolar sacs of the lungs, from which the air chambers (alveoli) open, are also called infundibula.
- Avian lungs: the tubular extension from the atrium which continues to form air capillaries is called infundibulum.
- Nose: The ethmoidal infundibulum is the most important of three infundibula of the nose: the frontal infundibulum and the maxillary infundibulum flow into it.
- Ovary: The Infundibulum of uterine tube is the funnel-like end of the mammal oviduct nearest to the ovary.
(wikipedia.org)
2.(Zoology)
A central cavity in the Ctenophora, into which the gastric sac leads; the siphon of Cephalopoda. (biology-online.org)
Word origin: From Latin infundibulum, literally “a funnel,” from infundere “to pour into” + -bulum, suffix forming names of instruments. In some cases a loan-translation into Latin of Greek khoane “funnel.”