Projection or outgrowth of tissue from a larger body
Inanatomy, aprocess (Latin:processus) is a projection or outgrowth oftissue from a larger body.[1] For instance, in avertebra, a process may serve for muscle attachment and leverage (as in the case of thetransverse andspinous processes), or to fit (forming asynovial joint), with another vertebra (as in the case of thearticular processes).[2] The word is also used at themicroanatomic level, wherecells can have processes such ascilia orpedicels. Depending on the tissue, processes may also be called by other terms, such asapophysis,tubercle, orprotuberance.
Examples of processes include:
- The many processes of the human skull:
- Themastoid andstyloid processes of the temporal bone
- Thezygomatic process of the temporal bone
- Thezygomatic process of the frontal bone
- Theorbital,temporal,lateral,frontal, andmaxillary processes of the zygomatic bone
- Theanterior,middle, andposterior clinoid processes and thepetrosal process of the sphenoid bone
- Theuncinate process of the ethmoid bone
- Thejugular process of the occipital bone
- Thealveolar,frontal,zygomatic, andpalatine processes of the maxilla
- Theethmoidal andmaxillary processes of the inferior nasal concha
- Thepyramidal,orbital, andsphenoidal processes of the palatine bone
- Thecoronoid andcondyloid processes of the mandible
- Thexiphoid process at the end of the sternum
- Theacromion andcoracoid processes of the scapula
- Thecoronoid process of the ulna
- Theradial andulnar styloid processes
- Theuncinate processes of ribs found in birds and reptiles
- Theuncinate process of the pancreas
- Thespinous,articular,transverse,accessory,uncinate, andmammillary processes of thevertebrae
- Thetrochlear process of the heel
- Theappendix, which is sometimes called the "vermiform process", notably in Gray's Anatomy
- The olecranon process of theulna
- ^Dorland's Medical Dictionary
- ^Moore, Keith L. et al. (2010)Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 6th Ed, p.442 fig. 4.2
