A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin ''frēnulum'', "little bridle", the
diminutive
A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...
of ''frēnum''
Article title
/ref>) is a small fold of tissue that secures the motion of a mobile organ in the body.
In human anatomy
Frenula on the human body include several in the mouth
In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on t ...
, some in the digestive tract, and some connected to the external genitalia.
*Brain: ''Frenulum of superior medullary velum
The frenulum veli, or frenulum of superior medullary velum, also known as the ''frenulum veli medullaris superioris'', ''cerebellar frenulum'', or ''frenulum cerebelli'' is a slightly raised white band passing from the inferior end of the medial l ...
'' or ''frenulum veli''
*Digestive tract: ''frenulum valvae ileocaecalis''
*Oral tissue: Frenula of the mouth
In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on t ...
include the '' frenulum linguae'' under the tongue
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste bu ...
, the '' frenulum labii superioris'' inside the upper lip, the '' frenulum labii inferioris'' inside the lower lip, and the buccal frena which connect the cheeks to the gum. These can easily be torn by violent blows to the face or mouth, thus a torn frenulum is sometimes a warning sign of physical abuse.
*Penile tissue: The word ''frenulum'' on its own is often used for the frenulum of prepuce of penis or ''frenulum preputii penis'', which is an elastic band of tissue under the glans penis that connects to the prepuce (foreskin
In male human anatomy, the foreskin, also known as the prepuce, is the double-layered fold of skin, mucosal and muscular tissue at the distal end of the human penis that covers the glans and the urinary meatus. The foreskin is attached to ...
) to the vernal mucosa, and helps contract the prepuce over the glans.
*Vulvular tissue: In females, genital frenula include the '' frenulum clitoridis'' of the clitoris and the '' frenulum labiorum pudendi'' (''fourchette'') where the labia minora meet at the back.
An overly short oral or genital frenulum may require a frenulectomy or frenuloplasty to achieve normal mobility.
In insects
The word frenulum also refers to a bristle present at the root of the hindwing of most moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...
s which engages with a small hook or tuft on the forewing (the retinaculum) to join the wings together.
See also
* Frenectomy – surgical removal of frenula
* Frenuloplasty – surgical alterations of frenula
* Frenulum breve
* Frenulum of labia minora
* Frenulum of lower lip
* Frenulum veli
Piercings
* Frenum piercing
* Lip frenulum piercing
* Tongue frenulum piercing
References
External links
* {{Wiktionary-inline
Tissues (biology)
Insect anatomy