Anatomy
nictitating membrane
nic·ti·tat·ing mem·brane
Subclass of:
Animal Structures
Definitions related to nictitating membrane:
-
A fold of the mucous membrane of the CONJUNCTIVA in many animals. At rest, it is hidden in the medial canthus. It can extend to cover part or all of the cornea to help clean the CORNEA.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
-
A translucent membrane present in the eye of some animals, also called the third eyelid. It is part of the conjunctiva and protects the eye from debris and dry air.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
-
Third eyelid, present in many animals and vestigial in man, capable of being drawn across the eye ball for protection.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
Return to OpenMD Medical Dictionary
> N
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.