(mak'yŭ-lă , mak'yŭ-lē‵, mak'yŭ-lī‵)

Plural: maculae

Plural: maculae

[L. macula, a mark, spot, stain]

1. A small spot or colored area.

   SEE: roseola.

2. The specialized central region of the retina that surrounds the fovea and contains a high concentration of cone photoreceptors. It is responsible for central vision, fine visual detail, and color vision. It is located anatomically between the superior and inferior temporal vessels of the retina. SYN: macula lutea retinae; yellow spot.

   macular,

   (-lăr )

   adj.
3. Macule.

m. acusticae The site of the hair cells (receptors) in the wall of the saccule and utricle of the inner ear. These receptors respond to changes in the pull of gravity (position of the head) and generate impulses carried by the vestibular part of the vestibulocochlear nerve. They include the macula sacculi and macula utriculi.

m. acustica sacculi Macula sacculi.

m. albida A white mark found on the visceral layer of the peritoneum or epicardium in some contagious diseases.

m. atrophica A glistening white spot on the skin due to atrophy.

m. caerulea A steel-gray or blue stain of epidermis without elevation. It does not disappear on pressure and occurs esp. with pediculosis pubis or flea bites.

cerebral m.A reddened line that becomes deeper and persists for some time when the fingernail is drawn across the skin, esp. in tuberculous meningitis. SYN: tache cérébrale.

m. corneae An opaque spot in the cornea.

m. cribrosa One of several tiny foramina in the wall of the vestibule of the bony labyrinth of the ear through which pass filaments of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

m. densa A group of cells in the wall of the distal renal tubule, next to the juxtaglomerular cells, that are sensitive to changes in the salt concentration of the filtrate in the tubule.

m. flava laryngis A small yellow spot at the anterior end of each vocal cord formed by a small mass of elastic tissue or, sometimes, cartilage.

m. folliculi The point on the ovarian follicle where it ruptures.

m. germinativa The germinal area in eggs with large yolks.

m. gonorrhoeica A red spot at the orifice of Bartholin's gland ; seen in gonococcal vulvitis.

m. lutea retinae Macula (3).

m. of retina A round, yellowish area that is in the center of the retina (to the temporal side of the optic disk) and contains the fovea. SYN: macular area.

m. sacculi The site of the hair cells in the saccule; receptors stimulated by the pull of gravity. These cells generate impulses carried by the vestibular part of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

m. utriculi The site of the hair cells in the utricule; receptors stimulated by the pull of gravity. These cells generate impulses carried by the vestibular part of the vestibulocochlear nerve.