air cell

3 definitions found

air cell - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Air cell \Air" cell`\
     1. (Bot.) A cavity in the cellular tissue of plants,
        containing air only.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Anat.) A receptacle of air in various parts of the
        system; as, a cell or minute cavity in the walls of the
        air tubes of the lungs; the air sac of birds; a dilatation
        of the air vessels in insects.
        [1913 Webster]

  Cell \Cell\, n. [OF. celle, fr. L. cella; akin to celare to
     hide, and E. hell, helm, conceal. Cf. Hall.]
     1. A very small and close apartment, as in a prison or in a
        monastery or convent; the hut of a hermit.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The heroic confessor in his cell.     --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A small religious house attached to a monastery or
        convent. "Cells or dependent priories." --Milman.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Any small cavity, or hollow place.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Arch.)
        (a) The space between the ribs of a vaulted roof.
        (b) Same as Cella.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Elec.) A jar of vessel, or a division of a compound
        vessel, for holding the exciting fluid of a battery.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Biol.) One of the minute elementary structures, of which
        the greater part of the various tissues and organs of
        animals and plants are composed.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: All cells have their origin in the primary cell from
           which the organism was developed. In the lowest animal
           and vegetable forms, one single cell constitutes the
           complete individual, such being called unicelluter
           orgamisms. A typical cell is composed of a semifluid
           mass of protoplasm, more or less granular, generally
           containing in its center a nucleus which in turn
           frequently contains one or more nucleoli, the whole
           being surrounded by a thin membrane, the cell wall. In
           some cells, as in those of blood, in the am[oe]ba, and
           in embryonic cells (both vegetable and animal), there
           is no restricting cell wall, while in some of the
           unicelluliar organisms the nucleus is wholly wanting.
           See Illust. of Bipolar.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Air cell. See Air cell.
  
     Cell development (called also cell genesis, cell  formation
        , and cytogenesis), the multiplication, of
        cells by a process of reproduction under the following
        common forms; segmentation or fission, gemmation or
        budding, karyokinesis, and endogenous multiplication. See
        Segmentation, Gemmation, etc.
  
     Cell theory. (Biol.) See Cellular theory, under
        Cellular.
        [1913 Webster]

air cell - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  air cell
      n 1: a tiny sac for holding air in the lungs; formed by the
           terminal dilation of tiny air passageways [syn: alveolus,
           air sac, air cell]