carpal bone

carpal bone

 any of several small angular bones that in humans make up the wrist (carpus), and in horses, cows, and other quadrupeds the “knee” of the foreleg. They correspond to the tarsal bones of the rear or lower limb. Their number varies. Primitive vertebrates typically had 12. In modern amphibians, reptiles, and birds, the number is reduced by fusion. In humans there are eight, arranged in two rows. The bones in the row toward the forearm are the scaphoid, lunate, triangular, and pisiform. The row toward the fingers, or distal row, includes the trapezium (greater multangular), trapezoid (lesser multangular), capitate, and hamate. The distal row is firmly attached to the metacarpal bones of the hand. The proximal row articulates with the radius (of the forearm) and the articular disk (a fibrous structure between the carpals and malleolus of the ulna) to form the wrist joint.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • carpal bone — noun any of the eight small bones of the wrist of primates • Syn: ↑carpal, ↑wrist bone • Hypernyms: ↑bone, ↑os • Hyponyms: ↑scaphoid bone, ↑os scaphoideum, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Carpal bone — One of the wrist bones. There are eight carpal bones that are arranged in two rows. The carpal bones articulate (come together to form a joint) proximally (on their near ends) with the long bones of the forearm the radius and, indirectly, with… …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone — noun Any of the eight bones of the carpus …   Wiktionary

  • carpal bone central — os centrale …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone first — os trapezium …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone fourth — os hamatum …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone great — os capitatum …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone intermediate — os lunatum …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone radial — os scaphoideum …   Medical dictionary

  • carpal bone second — os trapezoideum …   Medical dictionary

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