Anatomy

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.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

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.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

Loading graph…

Drag nodes to rearrange; hover to trace links; click a node to open its page.

MeSH Record

See Also

MeSH Record

Synonyms

7 entry terms
  • Third Eyelid
  • Eyelid, Third
  • Eyelids, Third
  • Membrane, Nictitating
  • Membranes, Nictitating
  • Nictitating Membranes
  • Third Eyelids

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

24 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings abnormalities, anatomy & histology, blood supply, chemistry, cytology, diagnostic imaging, drug effects, embryology, enzymology, growth & development, immunology, injuries, innervation, metabolism, microbiology, parasitology, pathology, physiology, physiopathology, radiation effects, surgery, transplantation, ultrastructure, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

ptosis of entry term THIRD EYELID: coord IM with EYELID DISEASES /vet (IM), not BLEPHAROPTOSIS

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. A13.660w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Nictitating Membrane. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D009541. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D009541
  2. Nictitating Membrane. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nictitating_membrane
  3. Nictitating Membrane. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48306