title: Collagenous skeleton of the rat mystacial pad.
abstract: Anatomical and functional integrity of the rat mystacial pad (MP) is dependent on the intrinsic organization of its extracellular matrix. By using collagen autofluorescence, in the rat MP, we revealed a collagenous skeleton that interconnects whisker follicles, corium, and deep collagen layers. We suggest that this skeleton supports MP tissues, mediates force transmission from muscles to whiskers, facilitates whisker retraction after protraction, and limits MP extensibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. sebastian.haidarliu@ weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haidarliu
authors.forename: Erez
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simony
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golomb
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ahissar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D051381:Rats; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen