Alveolus (; pl. alveoli, adj. alveolar) is a general anatomical term for a concave cavity or pit.

Uses in anatomy and zoology

Pulmonary alveolus A pulmonary alveolus (; ), also called an air sac or air space, is one of millions of hollow, distensible cup-shaped cavities in the lungs where pulmonary gas exchange takes place. Oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide at the blood–air bar ...

, an air sac in the lungs ** Alveolar cell or pneumocyte ** Alveolar duct **

Alveolar macrophage An alveolar macrophage, pulmonary macrophage, (or dust cell, or dust eater) is a type of macrophage, a phagocytosis#Professional phagocytic cells, professional phagocyte, found in the airways and at the level of the pulmonary alveolus, alveoli in ...

Mammary alveolus A mammary alveolus (: alveoli, from Latin , "little cavity") is a small cavity or sac found in the mammary gland. Mammary alveoli are the site of milk production and storage in the mammary gland. Mammary alveoli cluster into groups called mamm ...

, a milk sac in the mammary glands * Alveolar gland *

Dental alveolus Dental alveoli (singular ''alveolus'') are sockets in the jaws in which the roots of teeth are held in the alveolar process with the periodontal ligament. The lay term for dental alveoli is tooth sockets. A joint that connects the roots of the t ...

, also known as "tooth socket", a socket in the jaw that holds the roots of teeth **

Alveolar ridge The alveolar process () is the portion of bone containing the tooth sockets on the jaw bones (in humans, the maxilla and the mandible). The alveolar process is covered by gums within the mouth, terminating roughly along the line of the mandib ...

, the jaw structure that contains the dental alveoli ** Alveolar canals **

Alveolar process The alveolar process () is the portion of bone containing the tooth sockets on the jaw bones (in humans, the maxilla and the mandible). The alveolar process is covered by gums within the mouth, terminating roughly along the line of the mandibu ...

* Arteries: ** Superior alveolar artery (disambiguation) ***

Anterior superior alveolar arteries The anterior superior alveolar artery is one of the two or three superior alveolar arteries. It arises from the infraorbital artery. It passes through the canalis sinuosus. It provides arterial supply the upper incisors, upper incisor and Canine t ...

*** Posterior superior alveolar artery ** Inferior alveolar artery * Nerves: ** Anterior superior alveolar nerve ** Middle superior alveolar nerve **

Inferior alveolar nerve The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) (also the inferior dental nerve) is a sensory branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) (which is itself the third branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)). The nerve provides sensory innervation to the lower/mandibu ...

Uses in botany, microbiology and related disciplines

* Surface cavities or pits, such as on the stem of

Myrmecodia ''Myrmecodia'' is a genus of Epiphyte, epiphytic plants, present in Indochina, Malesia, Papuasia, and Queensland, Australia. It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being ''Anthorrhiza'', ''Hydnophytum'', ''Myrme ...

species * Pits on honeycombed surfaces such as receptacles of many

angiosperm Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed within a fruit ...

s * Pits on the fruiting bodies of

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

such as ''Boletus'' or the ascocarps of fungi such as typical

ascomycete Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The def ...

s * Pits on the valves of the tests of many

diatom A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma'') is any member of a large group comprising several Genus, genera of algae, specifically microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world. Living diatoms make up a significant portion of Earth's B ...

s * Membrane supporting vesicles of the

alveolate The alveolates (meaning "pitted like a honeycomb") are a group of protists, considered a major unranked clade or superphylum within Eukaryota. They are currently grouped with the Stramenopiles and Rhizaria among the protists with tubulocristate ...

Uses in linguistics

Alveolar consonant Alveolar consonants (; UK also ) are articulated with the tongue against or close to the superior alveolar ridge, which is called that because it contains the alveoli (the sockets) of the upper teeth. Alveolar consonants may be articulated wi ...

, a linguistic vocalization which involves placing one's tongue against the alveolar ridge *

Alveolar stop In phonetics and phonology, an alveolar stop is a type of consonantal sound, made with the tongue in contact with the alveolar ridge located just behind the teeth (hence alveolar), held tightly enough to block the passage of air (hence a stop cons ...

Uses in anatomy and zoology

Uses in botany, microbiology and related disciplines

Uses in linguistics

See also