| folliculus | 1. <anatomy> Generally a small sac or vesicle. 2. <botany> A kind of fruit formed from a single carpel, that splits to release its seeds. 3. <dermatology> A hair follicle, an invagination of the epidermis into the dermis surrounding the hair root. 4. <gynaecology, physiology> An ovarian follicle, an oocyte surrounded by one or more layers of granulosa cells. As the ovarian follicle develops a cavity forms and it is then termed a Graafian follicle. (12 Nov 1997) |
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| folliculus lymphaticus | Lymphatic follicle, one of the spherical masses of lymphoid cells, frequently having a more lightly staining centre. See: solitary lymphatic follicles, Peyer's patches. Synonym: folliculus lymphaticus, lymph nodule, nodulus lymphaticus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| folliculus ovaricus primarius | An ovarian follicle before the appearance of an antrum; marked by developmental changes in the oocyte and follicular cells so that the latter form one or more layers of cuboidal or columnar cells; the follicle becomes surrounded by a sheath of stroma, the theca. Synonym: folliculus ovaricus primarius. (05 Mar 2000) |
| folliculus ovaricus vesiculosus | A follicle in which the oocyte attains its full size and is surrounded by an extracellular glycoprotein layer (zona pellucida) that separates it from a peripheral layer of follicular cells permeated by one or more fluid-filled antra; the theca of the follicle develops into internal and external layers. Synonym: folliculus ovaricus vesiculosus, graafian follicle, secondary follicle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| folliculus pili | <dermatology> A tube-like opening in the epidermis where the hair shaft develops and into which the sebaceous glands open (13 Nov 1997) |