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 quadrupeds 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

[edit] See also

panniculus adiposus

[edit] References

McMinn, RMH (Ed) (1994) Last's Anatomy: Regional and applied (9th Ed). London: Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-04662-X