Pore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A pore, in general, is some form of opening, usually very small.
In biology:
- For skin, a pore is an opening into a sebaceous gland that secretes oil to lubricate and protect the surface of the skin
- In plants, pores, or stoma, exist in leaves in order to aid in photosynthesis and respiration
- Other organic substances are porous, and they can be very light, such as wood and the bones of some birds
In cell biology:
- Pores called aquaporins are used to facilitate the movement of water in and out of cells by means of osmosis
- Ion channels contain pores to allow ions to pass through the cell's plasma membrane into or out of the cell
In earth sciences:
- The measure of pores in a rock or unconsolidated material is porosity
- Pores are also referred to as void spaces, or voids
