parenchyma
Meaning of parenchyma: Parenchyma is the functional tissue of an organ that carries out its main job, distinct from the tissue that supports it.
Definition of parenchyma
Parenchyma refers to the functional tissue of an organ, the cells that carry out the organ's primary job, as distinguished from the surrounding connective and structural tissue that supports it. The parenchyma of the lung, for example, consists of the tissue involved in gas exchange, while the parenchyma of the liver consists of the cells that carry out the liver's metabolic functions.
The supportive tissue that is not considered parenchyma, including connective tissue, blood vessels, and the framework that holds an organ together, is referred to as stroma. Disease processes are often described in relation to whether they primarily affect the parenchyma or the stroma of an organ, which can influence how the condition behaves and is treated.
Imaging and pathology reports frequently describe findings as parenchymal when they involve this functional tissue specifically, helping to localize a finding within an organ's overall structure.
Used in a sentence
Imaging showed a small parenchymal lesion within the right lung.
Good to know
A finding described as parenchymal involves an organ's functional tissue rather than its supporting stroma or surrounding structures, a distinction that can affect how the finding is interpreted.
Word origin
Where “parenchyma” comes from
Formed from Greek parenchyma, from para- (meaning "beside") and enchyma (meaning "something poured in," from en-, "in," and chein, "to pour.")