inosculation

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The junction or connection of vessels, channels, or passages, so that their contents pass from one to the other; union by mouths or ducts; intercommunication.

   “inosculation of veins”

   “The Spermatick Veins do more than equal the length of the Arteries of the Testes in Men; their various divisions and several inosculations, and their valves are admirably contrived to suspend the weight of the Blood[…]”

   “The wide difference of the fish on opposite sides of continuous mountain-ranges, which from an early period must have parted river-systems and completely prevented their inosculation, seems to lead to this same conclusion.”

   “Messrs. James Veitch sent branches of Hornbeam (Betulus Carpinus), taken from a garden hedge, in which a very perfect junction had occurred between the two by a sort of natural inarching or inosculation as it is more properly called.”

   “Imbibition, which occurs in the first 48 h after tissue transfer, refers to the passive diffusion of nutrients and metabolic wastes between the graft tissue and host site. Inosculation, which occurs 48 h to 1 week after tissue transfer, refers to the formation of new vascular connections and apillary in-growth of host vasculature.”