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The Neck: Development and Evolution

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The Embryologic Basis of Craniofacial Structure

Abstract

The history of craniofacial evolution is written on the neck. Here one finds multiple systems communicating between the head and trunk. The invention of the neck was fundamental for the transition to terrestrial life with multiple innovations including a redefinition of head versus trunk, expansion of neurosensory systems for vision and hearing, the capacity to ambulate, and improved systems of prey capture. This chapter is truly interdisciplinary. It is designed to give you not only a neuromeric interpretation of structure but a historical appreciation of how the neck evolved over time. Our learning objective is to achieve an integrated model of a specific component of craniofacial and neck anatomy as part of a single embryologic process. These fundamentals will prove of great value to understand clinical problems that occur in this region.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Michael H. Carstens

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  1. Michael H. Carstens
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Correspondence to Michael H. Carstens .

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  1. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Louis University Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Falls Church, VA, USA

    Michael H. Carstens

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Carstens, M.H. (2023). The Neck: Development and Evolution. In: Carstens, M.H. (eds) The Embryologic Basis of Craniofacial Structure. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15636-6_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15636-6_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-15636-6

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