Anat Cell Biol.  2024 Jun;57(2):288-293. 10.5115/acb.23.298.

Development and growth of the temporal fascia: a histological study using human fetuses

• Kitamura K
• Ishizuka S
• Kim JH
• Yamamoto H
• Murakami G
• Rodríguez-Vázquez JF
• Abe Si

• KMID: 2556573
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.298

Abstract

The temporal fascia is a double lamina sandwiching a thick fat layer above the zygomatic bony arch. To characterize each lamina, their developmental processes were examined in fetuses. We observed histological sections from 22 half-heads of 10 mid-term fetuses at 14–18 weeks (crown-rump length, 95–150 mm) and 12 near-term fetuses at 26–40 weeks (crown-rump length, 215–334 mm). The superficial lamina of the temporal fascia was not evident at mid-term. Instead, a loose subcutaneous tissue was attached to the thin, deep lamina of the temporal fascia covering the temporalis muscle. At near-term, the deep lamina became thick, while the superficial lamina appeared and exhibited several variations: i) a monolayered thick membrane (5 specimens); ii) a multi-layered membranous structure (6) and; iii) a cluster of independent thick fasciae each of which were separated by fatty tissues (1). In the second and third patterns, fatty tissue between the two laminae was likely to contain longitudinal fibrous bands in parallel with the deep lamina. Varying proportions of the multi-layered superficial lamina were not attached to the zygomatic arch, but extended below the bony arch. Whether or not lobulation or septation of fatty tissues was evident was not dependent on age. The deep lamina seemed to develop from the temporalis muscle depending on the muscle contraction. In contrast, the superficial lamina developed from subcutaneous collagenous bundles continuous to the cheek. Therein, a difference in development was clearly seen between two categories of the fasciae.

Keyword

Temporal fascia; Adipose tissue; Subcutaneous tissue; Tendon; Human development

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The temporal fascia without its superficial lamina in three mid-term fetuses. Frontal sections. Azan staining. (A, B) A 95-mm crown-rump length (CRL) fetus (gestational age [GA] approximately 13 weeks); (C, D) (1.2 mm posterior to panel C) a 113-mm CRL fetus (GA approximately 15 weeks); (E) a 137-mm CRL fetus (GA approximately 16 weeks). (B) Shows a higher-magnification view of the square in (A). Arrowheads indicate the deep lamina of the temporal fascia providing origins for the temporalis muscle (TM) and ending at the zygomatic arch (ZA). The latter muscle fibers insert to an intramuscular tendon (triangles). Asterisks in (E) indicate subcutaneous bleeding during sampling of the specimen. (A, C–E) Were prepared at the same magnification (scale bars in panels A and B, 1 mm). CPM, coronoid process of the mandible.

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  Fig. 2 The mono-layered superficial lamina of the temporal fascia in two near-term fetuses. Frontal sections. H&E staining. (A) A 215-mm crown-rump length (CRL) fetus (gestational age [GA] approximately 26 weeks); (B, C) (4.5 mm posterior to panel B) a 260-mm CRL fetus (GA approximately 31 weeks). Arrows indicate the superficial lamina of the temporal fascia underlying the subcutaneous tissue, while arrowheads indicate the deep lamina providing origins for the temporalis muscle (TM) and ending at the zygomatic arch (ZA). The latter muscle fibers insert to an intramuscular tendon (triangles). All panels were prepared at the same magnification (scale bar in panel A, 1 mm).

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  Fig. 3 The multi-layered superficial lamina of the temporal fascia in two near-term fetuses. Frontal sections. H&E staining (A, B) and Masson trichrome staining (C, D). (A, B) A 225-mm crown-rump length (CRL) fetus (gestational age [GA] approximately 28 weeks); (C, D) a 228-mm CRL fetus (GA approximately 28 weeks). (B, D) are higher-magnification views of the squares in (A, C), respectively. Arrowheads indicate the deep lamina of the temporal fascia covering the temporalis muscle (TM) and attached to the zygomatic arch (ZA). The superficial lamina of the temporal fascia appears to be multi-layered. Between the superficial and deep laminae, there are irregularly arrayed fiber bundles (stars and arrows in panel B), fatty tissue lobules and the middle temporal artery (D). Asterisks in (B) indicate an artifactual space. (A, B) (or B, D) Were prepared at the same magnification (scale bar in panels A and B, 1 mm).

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  Fig. 4 The superficial lamina of the temporal fascia comprising a cluster of multiple independent fasciae. Frontal sections. H&E staining. A 334-mm crown-rump length (CRL) fetus (gestational age [GA] approximately 40 weeks). (A) Shows a plane 14 mm anterior to (C). (B, D) are higher-magnification views of the squares in (A, C), respectively. During the histological procedure, the temporalis muscle (TM) was torn (asterisks) along almost all of the intramuscular tendon (triangles). Arrowheads indicate the deep lamina of the temporal fascia covering the muscle and attached to the zygomatic arch (ZA), but fatty tissues (stars) separate the muscle from the fascia. A muscle fragment is contained within the fatty tissue and appears to be detached from the intramuscular tendon (D). The superficial lamina is composed of a cluster of multiple independent fasciae each of which are separated by fatty tissue (B, D). (A, B) (or B, D) Were prepared at the same magnification (scale bar in panels A and B, 1 mm).

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