We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
The myodural bridges' existence in the sperm whale.
- Authors
Liu, Pei; Li, Chan; Zheng, Nan; Yuan, Xiaoying; Zhou, Yutong; Chun, Pu; Chi, Yanyan; Gilmore, Campbell; Yu, Shengbo; Sui, Hongjin
- Abstract
Recent studies have identified that the myodural bridge (MDB) is located between the suboccipital muscles and cervical dura mater in the posterior atlanto-occipital interspace within humans. The myodural bridge has been considered to have a significant role in physiological functions. However, there is little information about the myodural bridge in marine mammals; we conducted this study to investigate and examine the morphology of the myodural bridge in a sperm whale. We also aim to discuss the physiological functions of the myodural bridge. In this study, a 15.1-meter long sperm whale carcass was examined. Multiple methods were conducted to examine the bridges of the sperm whale which included dissection, P45 plastination and histological analysis. This study confirmed the existence of the myodural bridge in the sperm whale and shows there are two types of the bridge in the sperm whale: one type was the occipital-dural bridge (ODB), the other type was the MDB. A large venous plexus was found within the epidural space and this venous plexus is thought to contain a great amount of blood when in deep water and thus the movements of suboccipital muscles could be a unique power source that drives cerebrospinal fluid circulation.
- Subjects
MARINE mammals; SPERM whale; MAMMAL morphology; HISTOLOGY; EPIDURAL space; PHYSIOLOGY
- Publication
PLoS ONE, 2018, Vol 13, Issue 7, p1
- ISSN
1932-6203
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0200260