Muscle spindles in the rhesus monkey platysma

J Anat. 2022 May;240(5):936-940. doi: 10.1111/joa.13604. Epub 2021 Dec 10.

Abstract

The platysma of the rhesus monkey consists of two parts: a platysma myoides located similar to the human platysma, and a platysma cervicale passing the dorsal cervical region and being in contact with the cheek pouch. Our investigation showed that the muscle fiber morphology was comparable in both parts. Muscle spindles were only present in regions connected to the cheek pouch and contained only nuclear chain fibers. It is tempting to speculate that they sense the filling of the cheek pouch rather than mimic activities.

Keywords: cheek pouch; muscle spindle; platysma; rhesus monkey; striated muscle.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cheek
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Muscle Fibers, Skeletal
  • Muscle Spindles*
  • Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System* / anatomy & histology