Lobe (anatomy)

Lobe (anatomy)

In anatomy, a lobe is a clear anatomical division or extension of an organ (such as the brain, the breast or the kidney) that can be determined without the use of a microscope at the gross anatomy level. This is in contrast to a lobule, which is a clear division only visible histologically.

In practice, this division can be somewhat subjective. For example, it can be difficult to precisely distinguish between an interlobar duct and an interlobular duct. Furthermore, the distinction is not universally accepted and some sources simply consider a lobule to be a small lobe.