Karl Friedrich Theodor Krause (December 15, 1797 - June 8, 1868) was a German anatomist who was born in Hannover. In 1818 he received his medical doctorate from the University of Göttingen, and later attained the chair of anatomy in Hannover. His son Wilhelm Krause (1833-1910) was also an anatomist.
Krause was one of the first anatomists to make extensive use of the microscope. He was the first physician to describe the transverse perineal ligament, which are striated fibers of the heart, and are sometimes referred to as Krause's ligament. He also described the accessory tear glands of the eye. These glands are found under the eyelids where the lower and upper conjunctiva meet, and are sometimes known as Krause's glands.