English

Noun

zonule ‎(plural zonules)

1. (anatomy) A little zone, or girdle; a zonula.
   • 1963, M. G. Farquar, G. E. Palade, Junctional complexes in various epithelia, The Journal of Cell Biology, Volume 17, republished 2001, Joseph G. Gall, J. Richard McIntosh (editors), Landmark Papers in Cell Biology, page 261,

     Each tight junction is followed by an adhering zonule extending between arrows 2 and 3 and, farther away, by a desmosome marked D. A condensation of finely fibrillar material occurs mainly along the adhering zonules on each side of the bile capillary.

   • 2004, E. Ahmed, A Textbook of Ophthalmology, page 270,

     The rim of a small-sized lens along with zonule is clearly seen through the fully dilated pupil.

   • 2009, Frank W. Howes, 5.4: Indications for Lens Surgery / Indications for Application of Different Lens Surgery Techniques, Myron Yanoff, Jay S. Duker (editors), Ophthalmology, 3rd Edition, page 429,

     In most cases, the goal of this type of lens surgery is the same as that for eyes without a compromised zonule: to remove the contents of the capsular bag through a CCC^{[continuous curvilinear capsulectomy]} and replace the contents with a foldable IOL.^{[intraocular lens]}

Related terms

• zonular

Derived terms

• ciliary zonule, zonule of Zinn
• zonulitis