Cortex and Medulla are words which pop up all over the subject of anatomy. The cortex is always the bit around the outside of a structure and the medulla is always the bit in the middle.
Examples include:
The Renal Cortex – the bit around the outside of the kidney
The Adrenal Cortex – the bit around the outside of the adrenal gland
The Cortex of bones (also known as Cortical Bone) – the thick dense bone tissue around the outside of bones
The Cerebral Cortex – the bit around the outside of the brain
The Renal Medulla – the bit on the inside of the kidneys
The Adrenal Medulla – the bit on the inside of the adrenal gland
The Medulla of bones (also known as the medullary cavity) – the space in the middle of a long bone where the bone marrow is found
Use the similar sounds of the words MEDULLA and MIDDLE to help you remember!
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