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The articularis genus (also known as the subcrureus muscle) is a small
skeletal muscle Skeletal muscle (commonly referred to as muscle) is one of the three types of vertebrate muscle tissue, the others being cardiac muscle and smooth muscle. They are part of the somatic nervous system, voluntary muscular system and typically are a ...
located anteriorly on the
thigh In anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip (pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of bone tissu ...
just above the
knee In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the hu ...
.


Structure

It arises from the anterior surface of the lower part of the body of the femur, deep to the vastus intermedius, close to the knee and from the deep fibers of the vastus intermedius. Its insertion is on the
synovial membrane Synovial () may refer to: * Synovial fluid * Synovial joint A synovial joint, also known as diarthrosis, joins bones or cartilage with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum of the joined bones, constitutes the outer bou ...
of the knee-joint.


Blood supply

It is supplied by the lateral femoral circumflex artery.


Innervation

It is innervated by branches of the
femoral nerve The femoral nerve is a nerve in the thigh that supplies skin on the upper thigh and inner leg, and the muscles that extend the knee. It is the largest branch of the lumbar plexus. Structure The femoral nerve is the major nerve supplying the ant ...
(L2-L4).


Variation

Flat, wispy and highly variable, sometimes consisting of several separate muscular bundles, this muscle is without a distinct investing
fascia A fascia (; : fasciae or fascias; adjective fascial; ) is a generic term for macroscopic membranous bodily structures. Fasciae are classified as superficial, visceral or deep, and further designated according to their anatomical location. ...
and ranges 1.5–3 cm in width. It is usually distinct from the vastus intermedius, but occasionally blended with it.


Function

Articularis genus pulls the suprapatellar bursa superiorly during extension of the knee, and prevents impingement of the synovial membrane between the
patella The patella (: patellae or patellas), also known as the kneecap, is a flat, rounded triangular bone which articulates with the femur (thigh bone) and covers and protects the anterior articular surface of the knee joint. The patella is found in m ...
and the
femur The femur (; : femurs or femora ), or thigh bone is the only long bone, bone in the thigh — the region of the lower limb between the hip and the knee. In many quadrupeds, four-legged animals the femur is the upper bone of the hindleg. The Femo ...
.


References


External links

* ''Farshchian's Orthopedic Regenerative Series: The Knee
Articularis Genus
' (very clear illustration) {{Authority control Muscles of the lower limb