Teres major and latissimus dorsi muscles in human embryos: A reconsideration of the so-called brother muscles

Abstract

The teres major and latissimus dorsi muscles (TM, LD) are considered to be the so-called brother muscles. Actually, being similar to the TM, an uppermost part of the LD usually arises from the scapular plate. In embryos of 11 mm CRL, anlagen of the TM and LD appeared to be fused to provide a single mass at an angle between the axillary and radial nerves. However, splitting had already finished in not only the TM and LD but also the other muscles at and around the shoulder in specimens of 14 mm CRL. Thus, muscle splitting at the region appeared to occur simultaneously at a short stage of 12-13 mm CRL.The TM and LD carried a common tendon still at 6 weeks (14-16 mm CRL), but their muscle bellies were separated clearly. A concept of brother muscles might be applied to the TM and LD according to a bias from the gross and comparative anatomy, not from the embryological view.