What is "hilum"

Hilum \Hi"lum\, n. [L., a little thing, trifle.]

1. (Bot.) The eye of a bean or other seed; the mark or scar at the point of attachment of an ovule or seed to its base or support; -- called also hile.

2. (Anat.) The part of a gland, or similar organ, where the blood vessels and nerves enter; the hilus; as, the hilum of the kidney.

Latin, literally "little thing, shred, trifle." Related: Hilar.

alt. 1 (context botany English) The eye of a bean or other seed; the mark or scar at the point of attachment of an ovule or seed to its base or support. 2 (context botany English) The nucleus of a starch grain. 3 (context anatomy English) A depression or fissure through which ducts, nerves, or blood vessels enter and leave a gland or organ. Also called porta. n. 1 (context botany English) The eye of a bean or other seed; the mark or scar at the point of attachment of an ovule or seed to its base or support. 2 (context botany English) The nucleus of a starch grain. 3 (context anatomy English) A depression or fissure through which ducts, nerves, or blood vessels enter and leave a gland or organ. Also called porta.

1. n. (anatomy) a depression or fissure where vessels or nerves or ducts enter a bodily organ; "the hilus of the kidney" [syn: hilus]

2. the scar on certain seeds marking its point of attachment to the funicle

3. [also: hila (pl)]

A hilum (adjective form hilar; plural hila), formerly called a hilus , can refer to:

• Hilum (anatomy), part of an organ where structures such as blood vessels and nerves enter to body
  • Hilum of kidney
  • Splenic hilum
  • Hepatic hilum
  • Hilum of lung
  • Hilum of lymph node
• Hilum (biology), a scar on a seed or spore created by detachment

In human anatomy, the hilum (; plural hila), sometimes formerly called a hilus (; plural hili), is a depression or fissure where structures such as blood vessels and nerves enter an organ. Examples include:

• Hilum of kidney, admits the renal artery, vein, ureter, and nerves
• Splenic hilum, on the surface of the spleen, admits the splenic artery, vein, lymph vessels, and nerves
• Hilum of lung, a triangular depression where the structures which form the root of the lung enter and leave the viscus
• Hilum of lymph node, the portion of a lymph node where the efferent vessels exit

In botany, a hilum (pronounced ) is a scar or mark left on a seed coat by the former attachment to the ovary wall or to the funiculus (which in turn attaches to the ovary wall). On a bean seed, the hilum is called the "eye".

For some species of fungus, the hilum is the microscopic indentation left on a spore when it separates from the sterigma of the basidium.

A hilum can also be a nucleus of a starch grain; the point around which layers of protein are deposited.

The adjectival form hilar denotes the presence of such a mark, and can be used as a distinguishing characteristic of a seed or spore.