Does Retaining Ligament Exist in the Neck?

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine the characteristics of the horizontal cervical wrinkle and to investigate histological feature, especially with respect to elastin and collagen fiber.

Histologic sample were harvested from two fresh adult cadavers where the cervical wrinkle is in the neck. The tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) or Masson's Trichrome.

In sections of neck skin, keratinization was observed in the epidermis, and many collagen fibers were observed in the dermis layer as in other skin. Specifically, a lot of short and curly elastic fiber were observed between the collagen fibers in the dermis. These elastic fibers were not stained with eosin and observed in gray. This long ligament-like structures were observed in the dermis. The ligament-like structures were stained with dark red by trichrome. These results indicate that these ligament-like structures are neither typical ligament nor typical smooth muscles.

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Korean J Phys Anthropol. 2017 Jun;30(2):47-51. English. Published online June 30, 2017. https://doi.org/10.11637/kjpa.2017.30.2.47

© 2017 Korean Association of Physical Anthropologists

Does Retaining Ligament Exist in the Neck?

Hyung-Jin Lee,1 Seong-Yong Ryu,2 Hyung-Jun Ahn,2 Sung-Won Cho,1 Hee-Jin Kim,1 and Kyung-Seok Hu1

1Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, Human Identification Research Institute, BK21 PLUS Project, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Korea.

2Department of Oral Medicine, Temporomandibular Joint and Orofacial Pain Clinic, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Korea.

Correspondence to: Kyung-Seok Hu (Department of Oral Biology, Yonsei University College of Dentistry). Email: hks318@yuhs.ac

Received March 13, 2017; Revised June 09, 2017; Accepted June 14, 2017.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine the characteristics of the horizontal cervical wrinkle and to investigate histological feature, especially with respect to elastin and collagen fiber.

Histologic sample were harvested from two fresh adult cadavers where the cervical wrinkle is in the neck. The tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) or Masson's Trichrome.

In sections of neck skin, keratinization was observed in the epidermis, and many collagen fibers were observed in the dermis layer as in other skin. Specifically, a lot of short and curly elastic fiber were observed between the collagen fibers in the dermis. These elastic fibers were not stained with eosin and observed in gray. This long ligament-like structures were observed in the dermis. The ligament-like structures were stained with dark red by trichrome. These results indicate that these ligament-like structures are neither typical ligament nor typical smooth muscles.

The results obtained from present study showed a ligamentous structure originating from the fascial layer (platysma muscle or investing layer). The results may help to understand the reasons about the formation of horizontal cervical wrinkle.