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| Philtrum | |
|---|---|
| File:Bingo Bill.gif Philtrum on dog nose | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | medial nasal prominence[1] |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The philtrum (Greek φιλτρον philtron, from φιλειν philein 'to love; to kiss'), is a medial cleft common to many mammals, extending from the nose to the upper lip, and, together with a glandular rhinarium and slit-like nostrils, is believed to consititute the primitive condition for mammals in general. [2] In most higher primates as in humans, the philtrum survives only as a medial depression between the nose and upper lip. [3] The human philtrum, also known as the infranasal depression, has no apparent function.
Etymology
The ancient Greeks believed that the philtrum was one of the most erogenous spots on the human body, hence the etymology.[4]
Embryology
In humans, the philtrum is formed where the nasomedial and maxillary processes meet during embryonic development.
Pathology
When these processes fail to fuse fully in humans, a cleft lip (sometimes called a "hare lip") can result. A flattened or smooth philtrum can be a symptom of Fetal alcohol syndrome or Prader-Willi syndrome.[5]
Mythology
According to the Jewish Talmud (Niddah 30b), God sends an angel to each womb and teaches a baby "the entire Torah, all of it." Just before the unborn baby comes out, the angel strikes it between the upper lip and the nose and all that was learned is forgotten.
Similarly, in other folklore, it is said[who?] that an angel "shushes" the baby in the womb, to stop it from talking about heaven, or to forget. Other stories say that it is an indent left by the finger of God. Still more say that it is the spot where the angel put his finger to "shush" the child after having told it a secret. (This was memorably mentioned in the film The Prophecy by the archangel Gabriel (Christopher Walken).)
See also
References
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Removed nonsense acquatic ape hypothesis