Horizontal section of the eye
The word "hyaline" is a derivate of the Greek [υαλώδης] (yalódis) meaning "glassy". It refers to a glassy, transparent substance. Although it is usually associated with hyaline cartilage, this term can be used by itself in daily English.
Galen of Pergamon used the term [hyaloid] (glassy, or similar to glass) to refer to the vitreous humor of the eye. As a result of this early anatomical term, today we have the following:
• Hyaloid membrane: also known as the vitreous membrane. It is a collagenous membrane separating the vitreous humor from the rest of the structures of the eye
• Hyaloid artery: a branch of the opthalmic artery which dissapears before birth
• Hyaloid canal: a small membranous canal in the vitrous humor extending between the lens and the optic disc. This can be seen in the accompanying image of a horizontal section of the eye.
Sources:
1. “Gray’s Anatomy” Henry Gray, 1918
2. "Tratado de Anatomia Humana" Testut et Latarjet 8th Ed. 1931 Salvat Editores, Spain
3. "Gray's Anatomy" 38th British Ed. Churchill Livingstone 1995
4. "The Origin of Medical Terms" Skinner, HA 1970 Hafner Publishing Co.
Image modified from the original by Henry VanDyke Carter, MD. in the book "Grays's Anatomy" by Henry Gray FRS. Public domain
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