Immunohistochemical analysis of orbicularis oris muscle fiber distribution at the philtrum in healthy infants

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the fiber-type distribution of the orbicularis oris muscle at the philtrum in healthy infants by immunohistochemistry and examine the relationship between orbicularis oris and philtrum structure.

METHODS

Samples of the upper lip were obtained from two infant cadavers. Serial sagittal sections were obtained at the midline of the philtral dimple, unilateral philtral ridge, and the lateral side. Three sections from each site were prepared for immunohistochemical staining using myosin heavy chain fast fiber (MHCf) and myosin heavy chain slow fiber (MHCs) antibodies to determine the ratio of fast to slow skeletal muscle fibers.

RESULTS

The ratio of fast to slow muscle fibers differed significantly among the superficial orbicularis oris muscle (98.30%:1.13%), deep pars peripheralis (95.30%:3.14%), and deep pars marginalis (91.31%:5.74%), with a significantly higher percentage of slow fibers in the pars marginalis compared to pars peripheralis (P=0.002) and fast fibers in the superficial muscle compared to pars marginalis and peripheralis (both P=0.000). Similarly, the fast:slow fiber ratio differed among the superficial philtral dimple (95.88%:2.41%), superficial philtral ridge (98.52%:1.11%), and superficial midlateral philtral ridge (99.07%:0.66%), with a higher percentage of fast fibers higher on the lateral side of the superficial philtral ridge than at the philtral ridge (P=0.030) and higher at the philtral ridge than the philtral dimple (P=0.001). The fast:slow fiber ratio did not differ within the pars peripheralis at the philtral dimple (93.94%:4.19%), philtral ridge (94.49%:3.84%), and lateral philtral ridge (95.79%:2.70%) (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Philtum structure is likely determined in part by the distribution of muscle fiber types among philtral dimple, ridge, and lateral side. These differences should be considered in cleft lip repair.

"Slow" skeletal muscles across vertebrate species

Skeletal muscle fibers are generally classified into two groups: slow (type I) and fast (type II). Fibers in each group are uniquely designed for specific locomotory needs based on their intrinsic cellular properties and the types of motor neurons that innervate them. In this review, we will focus on the current concept of slow muscle fibers which, unlike the originally proposed version based purely on amphibian muscles, varies widely depending on the animal model system studied. We will discuss recent findings from zebrafish neuromuscular junction synapses that may provide the framework for establishing a more unified view of slow muscles across mammalian and non-mammalian species.