| Plica fimbriata | |
|---|---|
| The mouth cavity. The apex of the tongue is turned upward, and on the right side a superficial dissection of its under surface has been made. (Plica fimbriata labeled at upper right.) | |
| The underside of a human tongue. | |
| Gray's | subject #242 1125 |
The plica fimbriata is a slight fold of the mucous membrane on the underside of the tongue which runs laterally on either side of the lingual frenulum. The free edge of the plica fimbriata occasionally exhibits a series of fringe-like processes.
Some people, have small (<1 cm) horn-like triangular flaps of skin under their tongue. They are on each side of the frenulum (the piece of tissue connecting the bottom of your tongue to the inside of your mouth) under the tongue and run parallel next to the two distinct veins. They typically appear in pairs and may even be up to 4 or more sets, but for even those who have them only two closer to the tip are distinctly visible while the others are very minor or just small bumps. These are the "fringe-like processes" part of the "plica fimbriata".
Using a tissue to dry the bottom of your tongue can help reveal them. They are apparently rare, but are just normal residual tissue not completely reabsorbed by the body during the development and growth of the tongue.
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
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