Development of the stapedius muscle and pyramidal eminence in humans

The aim of the study was to systematize the key developmental phases of the stapedius muscle and the pyramidal eminence to clarify their formation, as well as to understand the variations and anomalies that can affect these structures. Sixty human embryos and fetuses between 38 days and 17 weeks of development were studied. The stapedius muscle is formed by two anlagen, one for the tendon, which derives from the internal segment of the interhyale, and another for the belly, located in the second pharyngeal arch medial to the facial nerve and near the interhyale but forming a completely independent anlage. In the interhyale, two segments were differentiated, these forming an angle; at the vertex, the belly of the stapedius muscle is attached. The internal segment is located from the attachment of the belly of the stapedius muscle to the anlage of the stapes, forming the anlage of the tendon of the stapedius muscle. The external segment completely disappears at the beginning of the fetal period. The pyramidal eminence is formed by an anlage independent of Reichert's cartilage, from the mesenchymal tissue of the tympanic cavity, which condenses around the belly of the stapedius muscle from 12 weeks of post-conception development. The length of the tendon of the stapedius muscle in adults varies, depending on the attachment site of the belly of the stapedius muscle in the interhyale, which would determine the length of the internal segment (anlage of the tendon) and consequently the tendon length. This variation depends on the greater or lesser persistence of the angulation observed during development, between the tendon and the belly of the stapedius muscle.