Pore may refer to:

Biology

Animal biology and microbiology

Sweat pore Perspiration, also known as sweating, is the production of fluids secreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals. Two types of sweat glands can be found in humans: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The eccrine sweat glands are distri ...

, an anatomical structure of the skin of humans (and other mammals) used for secretion of sweat *

Hair follicle The hair follicle is an organ found in mammalian skin. It resides in the dermal layer of the skin and is made up of 20 different cell types, each with distinct functions. The hair follicle regulates hair growth via a complex interaction between ...

, an anatomical structure of the skin of humans (and other mammals) used for secretion of

sebum A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin of mammals. In humans, sebaceous glands occur in the greatest nu ...

* Canal pore, an anatomical structure that is part of the lateral line sense system of some aquatic organisms *

Gonopore A gonopore, sometimes called a gonadopore, is a genital pore in many invertebrates. Hexapods, including insects have a single common gonopore, except mayflies, which have a pair of gonopores. More specifically, in the unmodified female it is t ...

, a genital pore present in some invertebrates, particularly insects *

Ozopore An ozopore is the opening of a defensive gland present in some arthropods, notably in millipedes of the order PolydesmidaGram-negative bacterial secretion systems * One of the openings communicating with the skin surface at the terminus of

lactiferous duct Lactiferous ducts are ducts that converge and form a branched system connecting the nipple to the lobules of the mammary gland. When lactogenesis occurs, under the influence of hormones, the milk is moved to the nipple by the action of smooth mus ...

s in milk-producing mammals

Plant and fungal biology

* Germ pore, a small pore in the outer wall of a fungal spore through which the germ tube exits upon germination *

Stoma In botany, a stoma (from Greek ''στόμα'', "mouth", plural "stomata"), also called a stomate (plural "stomates"), is a pore found in the epidermis of leaves, stems, and other organs, that controls the rate of gas exchange. The pore is bo ...

, a small opening on a plant leaf used for gas exchange * An anatomical feature of the

anther The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

in some plant species, the opening through which pollen is released * A characteristic surface feature of

porate pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

* An opening in a poricidal fruit capsule

Cell and molecular biology

Nuclear pore A nuclear pore is a part of a large complex of proteins, known as a nuclear pore complex that spans the nuclear envelope, which is the double membrane surrounding the eukaryotic cell nucleus. There are approximately 1,000 nuclear pore comple ...

, a large protein complex that penetrates the nuclear envelope in eukaryotic cells *

Ion channel pore Ion channels are pore-forming membrane proteins that allow ions to pass through the channel pore. Their functions include establishing a resting membrane potential, shaping action potentials and other electrical signals by gating the flow of ...

, the ion-selective opening in the membrane of a eukaryotic cell formed by members of the ion channel family of proteins * A water-selective opening (water channel) in the membrane of a eukaryotic cell formed by assemblies of the protein

aquaporin Aquaporins, also called water channels, are channel proteins from a larger family of major intrinsic proteins that form pores in the membrane of biological cells, mainly facilitating transport of water between cells. The cell membranes of a ...

Physical sciences

* Pore (material), one of many small openings in a solid substance of any kind that contribute to the substance's porosity (typical usage in earth sciences, materials science and construction) * A small defect in the crystal structure that may arise during

sintering Clinker nodules produced by sintering Sintering or frittage is the process of compacting and forming a solid mass of material by pressure or heat without melting it to the point of liquefaction. Sintering happens as part of a manufacturing ...

to form solids from powders, including ceramics * Pore (bread), an air pocket in bread * Pore space in soil *

Void (composites) A void is a pore that remains unfilled with polymer and fibers in a composite material. Voids are typically the result of poor manufacturing of the material and are generally deemed undesirable. Voids can affect the mechanical properties and lif ...

, a pore that remains unoccupied in a composite material *

Solar pore Sunspots are phenomena on the Sun's photosphere that appear as temporary spots that are darker than the surrounding areas. They are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic flux that inhibit convection. Sun ...

, a newly forming sunspot without a penumbra

Other uses