Caudal appendage derived from a vestigial remnant of the tailgut

Fetal Pediatr Pathol. 2013 Oct;32(5):346-50. doi: 10.3109/15513815.2013.768738. Epub 2013 Feb 19.

Abstract

The presence of smooth muscle at the basal portion of a caudal appendage is very rare. We report a 3-month-old girl in which a caudal appendage is associated with smooth muscle bundles at the perianal region. Immunohistochemistry was performed for NCAM (neural cell adhesion molecule) to identify smooth muscle. NCAM immunoreactivity was observed within the presumptive circular and/or longitudinal muscle layers of the muscularis propria. NCAM is expressed by smooth muscle during the early stages of human embryonic gut development, suggesting that the caudal appendage in the present case may be derived from a tailgut remnant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Anal Canal / pathology
  • Digestive System Abnormalities / metabolism
  • Digestive System Abnormalities / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Muscle, Smooth / abnormalities
  • Muscle, Smooth / metabolism
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism
  • Sacrococcygeal Region

Substances

  • ACTA2 protein, human
  • Actins
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules