Panniculus carnosus

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The panniculus carnosus is part of the subcutaneous tissue. It consists of sheets of flat muscle contained in the panniculus adiposus. The general arrangement is that one end of the muscle sheet is attached to skin's dermis and the other is attached to deep fascia or bone. It therefore moves, wrinkles or dimples the skin.

Its degree of development varies in different animals. In domestic quadripeds such as horses and cattle it is evenly distributed over the body wall, and can be seen in action when these animals twitch their skin to discourage flying insects.

In humans, the panniculus carnosus is highly developed and specialised, primarily to form muscles of the scalp and face. It is also present in other areas of the body wall.

[edit] Muscles of the panniculus carnosus

• Scalp:
  • occiptalis
  • frontalis (also a muscle of the face)
• Face:
  • orbicularis oculi
  • levator palpebrae superioris
  • compressor naris
  • dilator naris
  • orbicularis oris
  • modiolus
  • levator labii superioris alaeque nasi
  • levator labii superioris
  • levator anguli oris
  • zygomaticus minor and zygomaticus major
  • risorius
  • depressor anguli oris
  • depressor labii inferioris
  • mentalis
  • platysma
• Hand:
  • palmaris brevis
• Chest:
  • Subareolar muscle of the nipple
• Anogenital region:
  • corrigator cutis ani
  • dartos muscle of the scrotum and labia majora

[edit] See also

panniculus adiposus The panniculus adiposus is part of the subcutaneous tissue. It is a fatty layer deep to the skin. In certain animals, including humans, it is abundant and widely distributed, and contains fibrous bands connecting the overlying skin to deep fascia, as well as nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics to the skin. An animal with a well developed panniculus adiposus is difficult to skin. It serves as a substitute for a fur coat by adding an insulating layer in mammals who are "furless", including cetaceans, pigs, humans.

[edit] References

McMinn, RMH (Ed) (1994) Last's Anatomy: Regional and applied (9th Ed). London: Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-04662-X The panniculus adiposus is part of the subcutaneous tissue. It is a fatty layer deep to the skin. In certain animals, including humans, it is abundant and widely distributed, and contains fibrous bands connecting the overlying skin to deep fascia, as well as nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics to the skin. An animal with a well developed panniculus adiposus is difficult to skin. It serves as a substitute for a fur coat by adding an insulating layer in mammals who are "furless", including cetaceans, pigs, humans.