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From the Anatomical Discovery of Meridians and Collaterals to Fasciaology Theory

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The Primo Vascular System

Abstract

The theory of meridians and collaterals is the basis of acupuncture in the traditional Chinese medicine; however, their anatomical existence is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomical basis of acupoints and ­meridians. Based on the digital datasets of Virtual Chinese human (VCH) bodies, 3-dimensional (3D) structures of virtual meridians and fascia connective tissue-gathering areas were constructed, and they were compared with each other. The shortest distances between virtual acupoints and constructed fascia connective tissues were measured. 3D structures of fascia connective tissue-gathering areas were also constructed based on CT and MRI images of living human bodies, and also compared with meridians. 3D structures of fascia connective tissue-gathering areas in the VCH bodies showed a pattern of beads-on-strings. Furthermore, the distances between the fascia strings and virtual meridians were close. More fascia connective tissue areas were constructed, more string-like structures were found. When 3D structures of all fascia connective tissues through over the body were constructed, a body-shaped connective tissue network appeared. 3D structures of fascia connective tissue-gathering areas constructed from both CT and MRI images also appeared beads-on-string patterns and colocalized with traditional Chinese meridians. The fascia network all over the body is the anatomical basis of acupoints and meridians in the traditional Chinese medicine. The histological composition of Meridian is the nonspecific connective tissue (including loose connective tissue and fat tissue). Therefore, we put forward a new approach for division of anatomical discipline. According to this method, the human body consists of two major systems: one is the supporting and storing system and the other is the functional system. The anatomical discipline which based is on this division method is named fascial anatomy. The discipline which studies the supporting and storing system and the mutual relationship between this system and the functional system, the latter is made of differentiated cells, is named fasciaology.

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Acknowledgments

The work described in this paper was supported by the following funding agencies: The National Basic Research Program (also called 973 Program) (Grant No.2007CB512705). National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.30801464).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China

    Lin Yuan

Authors
  1. Yu Bai
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  2. Lin Yuan
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  3. Yong Huang
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  4. Chun-lei Wang
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  5. Jun Wang
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  6. **-peng Wu
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  7. **g-xing Dai
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  8. Dong-fei Li
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  9. Chun Yang
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  10. Mei-chun Yu
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  11. Hui-ying Yang
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  12. Hui Tao
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  13. Ou Sha
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  14. David Tai Wai Yew
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Yuan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Advanced Institute of Convergence Techno, Seoul National University, Seoul, 443-270, Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

    Kwang-Sup Soh

  2. , Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40292, Kentucky, USA

    Kyung A. Kang

  3. , Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom

    David K Harrison

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Bai, Y. et al. (2012). From the Anatomical Discovery of Meridians and Collaterals to Fasciaology Theory. In: Soh, KS., Kang, K., Harrison, D. (eds) The Primo Vascular System. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0601-3_41

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