Trab

Trabeculae are small, often microscopic, tissue elements in the form of small beams, struts, or rods that support or anchor various structures in the body. They are found in many different organs and tissues, playing crucial roles in their architecture and function. The term "trabecula" comes from the Latin for "small beam".

Structure and Function

Trabeculae can be composed of connective tissue, as found in the spleen and lymph nodes, or of bone, as in the spongy bone that makes up much of the interior of bones such as the femur or vertebrae. In the heart, trabeculae carneae are muscular columns which project from the inner surface of the right and left ventricles.

Bone Trabeculae

In bones, trabeculae form a network of interconnecting rods or plates, filled with bone marrow and blood vessels. This spongy structure helps to reduce the weight of the bone while maintaining its strength. Bone trabeculae are oriented along lines of stress to help resist mechanical forces, a principle known as Wolff's law.

Cardiac Trabeculae

In the heart, trabeculae carneae help to prevent the walls of the ventricles from sticking together and assist in the conduction of electrical impulses. They also play a role in the heart's contractility.

Clinical Significance

Alterations in the structure or number of trabeculae can be indicative of disease. For example, in osteoporosis, the trabeculae in bones become thinner and less connected, leading to increased fragility of the bones. In the heart, abnormalities in the trabeculae carneae can be associated with certain types of cardiomyopathy.

See Also

• Bone marrow
• Spongy bone
• Osteoporosis
• Cardiomyopathy

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