Patella
Kneecap, bone covering knee joint / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For other uses, see Patella (disambiguation).
"Kneecap" redirects here. For other uses, see Kneecap (disambiguation).
The patella (pl.: patellae or patellas), also known as the kneecap, is a flat, rounded triangular bone which articulates with the femur (thigh bone) and covers and protects the anterior articular surface of the knee joint. The patella is found in many tetrapods, such as mice, cats, birds and dogs, but not in whales, or most reptiles.
Quick Facts Details, Pronunciation ...
Patella | |
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Details | |
Pronunciation | /pəˈtɛlə/ |
Origins | Present at the joint of femur and tibia fibula |
Identifiers | |
Latin | patella |
MeSH | D010329 |
TA98 | A02.5.05.001 |
TA2 | 1390 |
FMA | 24485 |
Anatomical terms of bone |
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In humans, the patella is the largest sesamoid bone (i.e., embedded within a tendon or a muscle) in the body. Babies are born with a patella of soft cartilage which begins to ossify into bone at about four years of age.