infundibulum

n., pl., -la (-lə).
Any of various funnel-shaped bodily passages, openings, structures, or parts, especially:

1. The stalk of the pituitary gland.
2. The calyx of a kidney.
3. The ovarian opening of a fallopian tube.

[Latin, funnel, from īnfundere, to pour in. See infuse.]

infundibular in'fun·dib'u·lar (-lər) or in'fun·dib'u·late' (-lāt', -lĭt) adj.

Pl. infundibula [L.]
1. any funnel-shaped passage.
2. conus arteriosus of the heart.

• cardiac i. — conus arteriosus.
• hypothalamic i. — a hollow, funnel-shaped mass in front of the tuber cinereum, extending to the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland.
• oviduct i. — cranial end of the avian oviduct; captures the oocyte released from the ovary and, during a 15 minute sojourn, invests it with its chalaziferous layer and the thin layer of albumen around the yolk.
• tooth i. — an invagination of the enamel from the wearing service of a tooth, as found in ruminant cheek teeth and the incisive and upper grinder teeth of horses.
• i. of uterine tube — the distal, funnel-shaped portion of the uterine tube. In birds the left uterine tube is the functional one and has a large thin-walled infundibulum.

having the form of a funnel or cone

Funnel shaped, like the flower of the morning glory.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)