Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🦷 A gland sac 🍇 A fruit part
acinus

acinus

9.9
A small sac in a gland that makes liquid
  • noun
  • /ˈæsɪnəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : acino
  • Each acinus is responsible for secreting important enzymes in the pancreas.

Examples

  • PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Figure 3. Tumor acinus with secretory granules (arrow), mucin granules (arrowhead), and microvilli (EM x 6,900).

    Academic text (1995)

  • PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Figure 4. Myoepithelial differentiation (arrows) in the periphery of the tumor acinus (EM x 6,400).

    Academic text (1995)

  • The veterinarian examined the acinus in the glandular tissue for any signs of disease.

  • In the study of human anatomy, the structure of the acinus is crucial for understanding gland functions.

Surface Forms

acinus singular
acini plural

Etymology

Acinus comes from Latin acinus, which meant 'grape' or 'berry', so doctors used the word for the tiny, round sacs in glands that look like little berries. That's why an acinus is a small sac where a gland makes its secretions.