Identification, structural features, and potential functional significance of the myodural Bridge in African clawed frog, the Xenopus laevis.

ABSTRACT: The myodural bridge (MDB) is an anatomical structure located in the suboccipital region, consisting of a dense fibrous connective tissue bridge connecting the suboccipital muscles to the dura mater (DM). These fibres interweave with their originating muscles and the dura, forming a functional unit known as the "myodural bridge complex" (MDBC). Previous studies, employing plastination sections, gross dissection, histological staining, and electron microscopy, have confirmed the widespread and highly conserved presence of the MDB in mammals, birds, and reptiles. To further investigate the presence of the MDB across vertebrates, this study selected the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), a model amphibian species, as the subject of investigation. Morphological methods, including gross disse

SUBMITTER: Yang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12508480 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature