In anatomy, fissure (Latin fissura, Plural fissurae) is a groove, natural division, deep furrow, cleft, or tear in various parts of the body.

Anatomy

Various types of anatomical fissure are:

Brain

• Fissure of Bichat: found below the corpus callosum in the cerebellum of the brain.
• Broca's fissure: found in the third left frontal fold of the brain.
• Burdach's fissure: connects the brain's insula and the inner surface of the operculum.
• Calcarine fissure: extends from the occipital of the cerebrum to the occipital fissure.
• Callosomarginal fissure: found in the mesial surface of the cerebrum.
• Central fissure or Ronaldo's fissure: separates the brain's frontal and parietal lobes.
• Clevenger's fissure: found in the inferior temporal lobe of the brain
• Collateral fissure: found in the inferior surface of the cerebrum.
• Hippocampal fissure: a fissure that extends from the brain's corpus callosum to the tip of the temporal lobe.
• Horizontal fissure or Transverse fissure: found between the cerebrum and the cerebellum. Transverse fissure is also found in the liver and lungs.
• Occipitoparietal fissure: found between the occipital and parietal lobes of the brain.
• Fissure of Sylvius: separates the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain from the temporal lobe.
• Wernicke's fissure: separates the brain's temporal and parietal lobes from the occipital lobe.
• Zygal fissure: found in the cerebrum.

Skull

• Auricular fissure: found in the temporal bone
• Pterygomaxillary fissure
• Sphenoidal fissure: separates the wings and the body of the sphenoid bone.

Liver

• Longitudinal fissure: found in the lower surface of the liver, also a fissure that separates the right and left hemispheres of the cerebrum.
• Portal fissure: found in the under-surface of the liver.
• Umbilical fissure: found in front of the liver.

Other

• Henle's fissure: the connective tissue between the muscle fibers of the heart.
• Palpebral fissure: separates the upper and lower eyelids.

Abnormal fissure

Fissure can also mean unnatural tract or ulcer, most commonly found in the anus. One of the most common types of fissure is anal fissure.

Other fissures

• Fissure vent: a volcanic vent that does not include explosive activity.

See also

• Sulcus (anatomy)