# Lumen (anatomy)

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Cavity within an organ

Cross section of the gut. The lumen is the space in the middle also known as the volume.

Normal [histology](/source/Histology) of the [breast](/source/Breast), with *lumen* annotated at bottom right

In [biology](/source/Biology), a **lumen** (pl.: **lumina**) is the inside space of a tubular structure, such as an artery or intestine.[1] It comes from [Latin](/source/Latin_language) *lumen* 'an opening'.

It can refer to:

- the interior of a vessel, such as the central space in an [artery](/source/Artery), [vein](/source/Vein) or [capillary](/source/Capillary) through which [blood flows](/source/Blood_flow)

- the interior of the [gastrointestinal tract](/source/Gastrointestinal_tract)[2]

- the pathways of the [bronchi](/source/Bronchi) in the [lungs](/source/Lung)

- the interior of [renal tubules](/source/Nephron#Renal_tubule) and [urinary collecting ducts](/source/Collecting_duct_system)

- the pathways of the [female genital tract](/source/Female_genital_tract), starting with a single pathway of the [vagina](/source/Vagina), splitting up in two lumina in the [uterus](/source/Uterus), both of which continue through the [fallopian tubes](/source/Fallopian_tube)

- the fluid-filled cavity forming in the [blastocyst](/source/Blastocyst) during pre-implantation development called the [blastocoel](/source/Blastocoel)

In [cell biology](/source/Cell_biology), **lumen** is a membrane-defined space that is found inside several [organelles](/source/Organelle), [cellular components](/source/Cellular_component), or structures, including [thylakoid](/source/Thylakoid), [endoplasmic reticulum](/source/Endoplasmic_reticulum), [Golgi apparatus](/source/Golgi_apparatus), [lysosome](/source/Lysosome), [mitochondrion](/source/Mitochondrion), and [microtubule](/source/Microtubule).

## Transluminal procedures

*Transluminal procedures* are procedures occurring through lumina, including:[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- [natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery](/source/Natural_orifice_transluminal_endoscopic_surgery) in the lumina of, for example, the [stomach](/source/Stomach), [vagina](/source/Vagina), [bladder](/source/Bladder), or [colon](/source/Colon_(anatomy))

- procedures through the lumina of [blood vessels](/source/Blood_vessel), such as various [interventional radiology](/source/Interventional_radiology) procedures: - percutaneous transluminal [angioplasty](/source/Angioplasty) - percutaneous transluminal [commissurotomy](/source/Commissurotomy)

## See also

- [Foramen](/source/Foramen), any anatomical opening

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 24th ed.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Adds, John; Erica Larkcom; Ruth Miller (2004). [*Exchange and transport, energy and ecosystems*](https://archive.org/details/exchangetranspor0000adds/page/16). Nelson Advanced science (Nelson Thornes). p. [16](https://archive.org/details/exchangetranspor0000adds/page/16). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7487-7487-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7487-7487-4).

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