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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Inosculation

Inosculation \In*os`cu*la"tion\, n. [Cf. F. inosculation.] The junction or connection of vessels, channels, or passages, so that their contents pass from one to the other; union by mouths or ducts; anastomosis; intercommunication; as, inosculation of veins, etc.
--Ray.

Wiktionary
inosculation

n. The junction or connection of vessels, channels, or passages, so that their contents pass from one to the other; union by mouths or ducts; intercommunication.

WordNet
inosculation

n. a natural or surgical joining of parts or branches of tubular structures so as to make or become continuous [syn: anastomosis]

Wikipedia
Inosculation

Inosculation is a natural phenomenon in which trunks, branches or roots of two trees grow together. It is biologically very similar to grafting.

It is most common for branches of two trees of the same species to grow together, though inosculation may be noted across related species. The branches first grow separately in proximity to each other until they touch. At this point, the bark on the touching surfaces is gradually abraded away as the trees move in the wind. Once the cambium of two trees touches, they sometimes self-graft and grow together as they expand in diameter. Inosculation customarily results when tree limbs are braided or pleached.

The term "inosculation" is also used in the context of plastic surgery, as one of the three mechanisms by which skin grafts take at the host site. Blood vessels from the recipient site are believed to connect with those of the graft in order to restore vascularity.

Usage examples of "inosculation".

Nor can this latter fact be accounted for by supposing that the transmission is effected through the two inosculations, or through the circumferential zigzag line of union, for had this been the case, the exterior tentacles on the opposite side of the disc would have been affected before the more central ones, which never occurred.

By looking to either side of the leaf, it will be seen that a branch from the great central bifurcation inosculates with a branch from the lateral bundle, and that there is a smaller inosculation between the two chief branches of the lateral bundle.

By means of the two inosculations all the vessels on the same side of the leaf are brought into some sort of connection.