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Sphincter |
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sphincter
Anatomy a ring of muscle surrounding the opening of a hollow organ or body and contracting to close it sphincter [′sfiŋk·tər] (anatomy) A muscle that surrounds and functions to close an orifice. Sphincter a ringlike muscle that constricts to close a natural orifice such as the oral or anal opening, or to narrow the passage from one part of a hollow tubular organ to another, for example, from the stomach and bile duct to the duodenum and from the bladder to the urethra. The sphincter is always in a tonic state. The orbicular muscle of the iris is a sphincter. Some sphincters consist of striated muscle and others of smooth muscle innervated by the autonomic nervous system. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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