Dynamic coordination system of smooth and skeletal muscles for pelvic floor support mechanisms

Keiichi Akita

Department of Clinical Anatomy, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan

This study aimed to clarify the three-dimensional configuration and the histological properties of the smooth muscle structures on the pelvic floor. By combining the macroscopic, histological, and immunohistochemical examinations, we found that the most distinctive feature of the skeletal muscles of the pelvic floor is that they share muscle bundles and are continuous. We concluded that the pelvic floor comprises a series of skeletal muscles and smooth muscle structures. These muscle structures are tightly attached in the broad areas. The widespread arrangement of the combinations suggests a mechanism of dynamic coordination between the smooth and skeletal muscles.