DORSAL

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Facing away from the axis of an organ or organism

Example:

the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem

Synonyms:

abaxial; dorsal

Classified under:

Adjectives

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Belonging to or on or near the back or upper surface of an animal or organ or part

Example:

the dorsal fin is the vertical fin on the back of a fish and certain marine mammals

Classified under:

Adjectives

Antonym:

ventral (toward or on or near the belly (front of a primate or lower surface of a lower animal))

Derivation:

dorsum (the back of the body of a vertebrate or any analogous surface (as the upper or outer surface of an organ or appendage or part))

dorsum (the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine)

Credits

Context examples:

The cutaneous plate on the dorsal surface of the distal end of a finger or toe.

(Nail, NCI Thesaurus)

The 31 paired peripheral nerves formed by the union of the dorsal and ventral spinal roots from each spinal cord segment.

(Murine Spinal Nerves, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Two sets of interossei muscles (dorsal and palmar) that run along the metacarpal bones in the hand controlling the movement of the fingers.

(Hand Interosseous Muscle, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein is involved in dorsal/ventral patterning.

(Homeobox Protein Hox-A11, NCI Thesaurus)

Sensory ganglia located on the dorsal spinal roots within the vertebral column.

(Dorsal Root Ganglion, NLM, Medical Subject Headings/CDISC)

The two pairs of colliculi located on the dorsal surface of the midbrain known as the inferior and superior colliculus.

(Corpora Quadrigemina, NCI Thesaurus)

Inhibitory signals that block heart formation in anterior paraxial mesoderm include Wnt family members expressed in dorsal neural tube and anti-BMPs expressed in the axial tissues (i.e., noggin in the notochord).

(ALK Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

The results showed that reward-related feedback responses in a brain area called the dorsal striatum at age 14-15 predicted the magnitude of pain symptoms at age 16-17.

(Study in Teens Shows Brain Responses to Rewards Linked to Pain Sensitivity, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

An artery of the dorsal surface of the foot, originating from the anterior tibial artery of the lower leg.

(Dorsalis Pedis Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The dorsal area between the base of the neck and the sacrum.