''This is a disambiguation page for the biological term. For the 2018 horror movie, see
Antrum (film)''
In
biology
Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
, antrum is a general term for a cavity or chamber, which may have specific meaning in reference to certain organs or sites in the body.
In
vertebrates
Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain.
The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...
, it may refer specifically to:
*
Antrum follicularum, the cavity in the epithelium that envelops the oocyte
*
Mastoid antrum
The mastoid antrum (tympanic antrum, antrum mastoideum, Valsalva's antrum) is an air space in the petrous portion of the temporal bone, communicating posteriorly with the mastoid cells and anteriorly with the epitympanic recess of the middle ear ...
, a cavity between the middle ear and temporal bone in the skull
* Stomach antrum, either
**
Pyloric antrum
The pylorus ( or ) connects the stomach to the duodenum. The pylorus is considered as having two parts, the ''pyloric antrum'' (opening to the body of the stomach) and the ''pyloric canal'' (opening to the duodenum). The ''pyloric canal'' ends a ...
, the lower portion of the stomach. This is what is usually referred to as "antrum" in stomach-related topics
** or
Antrum cardiacum, a dilation that occurs in the esophagus near the stomach (forestomach)
*
Maxillary antrum or antrum of Highmore, the
maxillary sinus
The pyramid-shaped maxillary sinus (or antrum of Nathaniel Highmore (surgeon), Highmore) is the largest of the paranasal sinuses, located in the maxilla. It drains into the middle meatus of the noseHuman Anatomy, Jacobs, Elsevier, 2008, page 209- ...
, a cavity in the maxilla and the largest of the paranasal sinuses
In
invertebrates
Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''spine'' or ''backbone''), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordate subphylum ...
, it may refer specifically to:
* Antrum of female
lepidoptera genitalia
The study of the genitalia of Lepidoptera is important for Lepidoptera taxonomy in addition to development, anatomy and natural history. The genitalia are complex and provide the basis for species discrimination in most families and also in fami ...
{{Disambiguation
Anatomy