Nipple

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Nipple

Nipple (/ˈnɪpəl/) is a term used in anatomy to refer to the small projection of skin containing the outlets for 15-20 lactiferous ducts arranged cylindrically around the tip. The nipple is surrounded by the areola which is often a darker color than the surrounding skin. It is found in both males and females, but has a primary function in females related to lactation.

Etymology

The term "nipple" originates from the Old English word "neb", meaning "beak", "nose", or "face", and was likely used to describe the nipple due to its protruding aspect.

Anatomy

The nipple is a raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast from which, in females, milk leaves the breast through the lactiferous ducts to feed an infant. The milk can flow through the nipple passively, or it can be ejected by smooth muscle contractions that occur along the ductal system. The nipple is surrounded by the areola, which is often a darker color than the surrounding skin.

Related Terms

  • Breast: The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.
  • Areola: The areola is a small circular area on the body with a different histology from the surrounding tissue, or other small circular areas such as an inflamed region of skin.
  • Lactiferous duct: Lactiferous ducts form a tree branched system connecting the lobules of the mammary gland to the tip of the nipple. They are the structures which carry milk toward the nipple in a lactating female.
  • Mammary gland: The mammary glands are the organs that, in the female mammal, produce milk for the sustenance of the young. These exocrine glands are enlarged and modified sweat glands.

External links

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