Genu
Encyclopedia
Latin for "knee", genu is a term commonly encountered in studies of anatomy
. It is used to refer to several anatomical structures, including (but not limited to):
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
. It is used to refer to several anatomical structures, including (but not limited to):
- conditions affecting the kneeKneeThe knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
s, such as genu valgumGenu valgumGenu valgum, commonly called "knock-knee", is a condition where the knees angle in and touch one another when the legs are straightened. Women have a wider pelvis than men and a relatively shorter length of the thigh bone, and as a result, have a greater static genu valgum than men...
and genu varum - the geniculate ganglionGeniculate ganglionThe geniculate ganglion is an L-shaped collection of fibers and sensory neurons of the facial nerve located in the facial canal of the head...
of the facial nerveFacial nerveThe facial nerve is the seventh of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the brainstem between the pons and the medulla, and controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and oral cavity... - the genu of the corpus callosumGenu of the corpus callosumThe anterior end of the corpus callosum is named the genu, and is bent downward and backward in front of the septum pellucidum; diminishing rapidly in thickness, it is prolonged backward under the name of the rostrum, which is connected below with the lamina terminalis...
- the genu of the internal capsule
- the medialMedial geniculate nucleusThe Medial Geniculate Nucleus or Medial Geniculate Body is part of the auditory thalamus and represents the thalamic relay between the inferior colliculus and the auditory cortex...
and lateral geniculate nucleiLateral geniculate nucleusThe lateral geniculate nucleus is the primary relay center for visual information received from the retina of the eye. The LGN is found inside the thalamus of the brain....
of the thalamusThalamusThe thalamus is a midline paired symmetrical structure within the brains of vertebrates, including humans. It is situated between the cerebral cortex and midbrain, both in terms of location and neurological connections...