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sella

sella

1 9.9
A saddle-shaped hollow in the skull that holds a small gland at the base of the brain
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛlə/
  • Specialized
: silla turca

Examples

  • From there, it can extend to surrounding structures, including the nasal cavity, sphenoid sinus and sella, infratemporal fossa, inferior orbital fissure, and intracranial area.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The sella is a key structure within the sphenoid bone that houses the pituitary gland.

  • Located in the middle cranial fossa, the sella is a depression that supports essential brain functions.

  • In human anatomy, the sella refers to the saddle-shaped bony structure at the base of the skull.

Surface Forms

sella singular
sellas plural
sellae plural

Etymology

The word sella comes from Latin sella, which means 'seat' or 'saddle', like the English word 'saddle' that holds a rider. So the anatomical sella is a small 'seat' in the skull that holds the pituitary gland.