corpuscle

(kôr'pə-səl, -pŭs'əl)
n.

1. 1. An unattached body cell, such as a blood or lymph cell.
   2. A rounded globular mass of cells, such as the pressure receptor on certain nerve endings.
2. A discrete particle, such as a photon or an electron.
3. A minute globular particle.

[Latin corpusculum, diminutive of corpus, body.]

corpuscular cor·pus'cu·lar (kôr-pŭs'kyə-lər) adj.

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Any small cell or body of tissue. See also red blood cell.

IN BRIEF: A cell, especially one having a distinct function and form.

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any living metazoan cell, especially the red corpuscles (erythrocytes) and the white corpuscles (leukocytes) of the blood.

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Any small mass or body.

• blood c's — formed elements in the blood, i.e. erythrocytes and leukocytes.
• bulbous c. — temperature-sensitive nerve endorgan.
• colostrum c's — large rounded bodies in colostrum, containing droplets of fat and sometimes a nucleus.
• compound granular c. — see gitter cells.
• genital c. — pressure receptor nerve-endings in the penis and clitoris.
• Golgi–Mazzoni c. — probably a pressure receptor; occur in hairless skin and associated mucosae, glans penis, foot pad of carnivores, hoof connective tissue.
• c. of Grandry — in the dermis of a duck's bill. See also corpuscle of Herbst (below).
• c. of Herbst — located in the dermis of the duck's bill these corpuscles are extremely sensitive to vibration.
• lamellar c. — pressure-sensitive nerve-endings. Called also Ruffini corpuscle.
• malpighian c. — see renal corpuscle (below).
• Meissner c. — touch-sensitive nerve receptors.
• meniscoid c. — touch-sensitive nerve endorgan.
• pacinian c's — see pacinian corpuscle.
• Purkinje's c's — large, branched nerve cells composing the middle layer of the cortex of the cerebellum.
• red blood c. — erythrocyte.
• renal c. — a tuft of capillaries enveloped by the dilated end of a renal tubule. Constitutes the beginning of the structural unit of the kidney (nephron). Called also malpighian corpuscle.
• Ruffini c. — see lamellar corpuscle (above).
• tactile c's — medium-sized encapsulated nerve endings in the skin; called also tactile papillae.
• white blood c. — leukocyte.

n

Any small body, mass, or organ.

For a list of words related to corpuscle, see:

• Heart and Circulatory and Lymphatic Systems - corpuscle: free-floating blood or lymph cell

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - legeme, partikel

Nederlands (Dutch)
(bloed)lichaampje, deeltje

Français (French)
n. - (Anat, Biol) groupe sanguin, (Anat) corpuscule, (Phys) particule

Deutsch (German)
n. - Korpuskel, Blutkörperchen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σωμάτιο, σωματίδιο, (βιολ.) αιμοσφαίριο, σωμάτιο

Italiano (Italian)
corpuscolo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - corpúsculo (m) (Quím.) (Fís.)

Русский (Russian)
частица

Español (Spanish)
n. - corpúsculo, glóbulo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kropp, korpuskel, elektron (fys.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
小体, 微粒, 光子, 血球

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 小體, 微粒, 光子, 血球

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 유리세포, 소체

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 小体, 血球, 微粒子, 小球

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) كريه الدم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮גופיף‬

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