Lumen (anatomy)

Cross section of the gut. The lumen is the space in the middle also known as the volume.

In biology, a lumen (plural lumina) is the inside space of a tubular structure, such as an artery or intestine.^[1] It comes from Latin lumen 'an opening'.

It can refer to:

The interior of a vessel, such as the central space in an artery, vein or capillary through which blood flows.
The interior of the gastrointestinal tract^[2]
The pathways of the bronchi in the lungs
The interior of renal tubules and urinary collecting ducts
The pathways of the female genital tract, starting with a single pathway of the vagina, splitting up in two lumina in the uterus, both of which continue through the fallopian tubes

In cell biology, a lumen is a membrane-defined space that is found inside several organelles, cellular components, or structures:

thylakoid, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome, mitochondrion, or microtubule

Transluminal procedures

Transluminal procedures are procedures occurring through lumina, including:^[3]

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery in the lumina of, for example, the stomach, vagina, bladder, or colon
Procedures through the lumina of blood vessels, such as various interventional radiology procedures:
- Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
- Percutaneous transluminal commissurotomy

References

^ Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 24th ed.
^ Adds, John; Erica Larkcom; Ruth Miller. Exchange and transport, energy and ecosystems. Nelson Advanced science (Nelson Thornes). p. 16. ISBN 0-7487-7487-4.
^ Makar, A. B.; McMartin, K. E.; Palese, M.; Tephly, T. R. (June 1975). "Formate assay in body fluids: application in methanol poisoning". Biochemical Medicine. 13 (2): 117–126. doi:10.1016/0006-2944(75)90147-7. ISSN 0006-2944. PMID 1.

[1] Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 24th ed.

[2] Adds, John; Erica Larkcom; Ruth Miller. Exchange and transport, energy and ecosystems. Nelson Advanced science (Nelson Thornes). p. 16. ISBN 0-7487-7487-4.

[3] Makar, A. B.; McMartin, K. E.; Palese, M.; Tephly, T. R. (June 1975). "Formate assay in body fluids: application in methanol poisoning". Biochemical Medicine. 13 (2): 117–126. doi:10.1016/0006-2944(75)90147-7. ISSN 0006-2944. PMID 1.

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