Fasciae were traditionally thought of as passive structures that transmit mechanical tension generated by muscular activities or external forces throughout the body.
[4] In the tradition of medical dissections it has been common practice to carefully clean muscles and other organs from their surrounding fasciae in order to study their detailed topography and function.
However, this practice tends to ignore that many muscle fibers insert into their fascial envelopes and that the function of many organs is significantly altered when their related fasciae are removed.
[8] This plastinate provides a detailed view of the human fascial network, allowing for a better understanding of its structure and function as an interconnected tissue throughout the body.
This project represents a significant contribution to the visualization of fascia and has the potential to influence future research in fields such as medicine, physical therapy, and movement science.
[medical citation needed] In addition to its subcutaneous presence, superficial fascia surrounds organs, glands and neurovascular bundles, and fills otherwise empty space at many other locations.
It serves as a storage medium of fat and water; as a passageway for lymph, nerve and blood vessels; and as a protective padding to cushion and insulate.
[16] Due to its viscoelastic properties, superficial fascia can stretch to accommodate the deposition of adipose that accompanies both ordinary and prenatal weight gain.
[19] Deep fascia was originally considered to be essentially avascular but later investigations have confirmed a rich presence of thin blood vessels.