Lobe (anatomy)

In anatomy, a lobe is a clear anatomical division or extension of an organ (as seen for example in the brain, the lung or the kidney) that can be determined without the use of a microscope at the gross anatomy level. This is in contrast to the much smaller lobule, which is a clear division only visible under the microscope.

Interlobar ducts connect lobes and interlobular ducts connect lobules.

Examples of lobes

• The four lobes of the human cerebral cortex
  • the frontal lobe
  • the parietal lobe
  • the occipital lobe
  • the temporal lobe
• The three lobes of the human cerebellum
  • the flocculonodular lobe
  • the anterior lobe
  • the posterior lobe
• The two lobes of the thymus
• The two and three lobes of the lungs
  • Left lung: superior and inferior
  • Right lung: superior, middle, inferior
• The four lobes of the liver
  • Left lobe of liver
  • Right lobe of liver
  • Quadrate lobe of liver
  • Caudate lobe of liver
• The renal lobes of the kidney

Examples of lobules

• the cortical lobules of the kidney
• the testicular lobules
• the lobules of the mammary gland
• the lobules of the lung
• the lobules of the thymus