| Bone: Linea aspera | |
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| Right femur. Posterior surface. (Linea aspera not labeled, but region is visible. Medial lip is at left; lateral lip is at right. ) | |
| Latin | linea aspera |
| Gray's | subject #59 246 |
| Dorlands / Elsevier |
l_10/12496065 |
The linea aspera is a ridge of roughened surface on the posterior aspect of the femur, to which are attached muscles and intermuscular septa. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Introduction ( classes Long bones body or Diaphysis Medullary canal Elsevier, the world's largest Publisher of Medical and Scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group The femur is the thigh bone In Humans, it is the longest, most voluminous and strongest Bone. Muscle (from Latin musculus, diminutive of mus "mouse" is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ( SEPTA) is a regional public authority that operates various forms of public transit &mdash bus
Its margins diverge above and below.
The linea aspera is a prominent longitudinal ridge or crest, on the middle third of the bone, presenting a medial and a lateral lip, and a narrow rough, intermediate line. It is an important insertion point for the adductors and the intermuscular septa that divides the thigh into three compartments. The tension generated by muscle attached to the bones is responsible for the formation of the ridges.
Contents |
Ridges
Above
Above, the linea aspera is prolonged by three ridges.
- The lateral ridge is very rough, and runs almost vertically upward to the base of the greater trochanter. It is termed the gluteal tuberosity, and gives attachment to part of the Glutæus maximus: its upper part is often elongated into a roughened crest, on which a more or less well-marked, rounded tubercle, the third trochanter, is occasionally developed. The gluteus maximus' (or glutæus maximus) is the largest and most Superficial of the three Gluteal muscles. The upper part of the Gluteal tuberosity is often elongated into a roughened crest on which a more or less well-marked rounded tubercle, the third trochanter, is
- The intermediate ridge or pectineal line is continued to the base of the lesser trochanter and gives attachment to the Pectineus;
- the medial ridge is lost in the intertrochanteric line; between the intermediate and medial ridges a portion of the Iliacus is inserted. The lesser trochanter (small trochanter of the Femur is a conical eminence which varies in size in different subjects It projects from the lower and back part of the base The pectineus muscle is a flat quadrangular Muscle, situated at the anterior part of the upper and medial aspect of the Thigh. The intertrochanteric line (or spiral line of the femur) is a line located on the anterior side of the head of the Femur. The Iliacus is a flat triangular muscle which fills the Iliac fossa.
Below
Below, the linea aspera is prolonged into two ridges, enclosing between them a triangular area, the popliteal surface, upon which the popliteal artery rests. In Human anatomy, the popliteal artery is defined as the extension of the "superficial" Femoral artery after passing through the Adductor canal
- Of these two ridges, the lateral is the more prominent, and descends to the summit of the lateral condyle.
- The medial is less marked, especially at its upper part, where it is crossed by the femoral artery. The femoral artery is a large Artery in the muscles of the Thigh. It ends below at the summit of the medial condyle, in a small tubercle, the adductor tubercle, which affords insertion to the tendon of the Adductor magnus. The medial lip of the Linea aspera ends below at the summit of the Medial condyle, in a small tubercle the adductor tubercle, which affords insertion to the tendon The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle situated on the Medial side of the Thigh.
Muscles
- From the medial lip of the linea aspera and its prolongations above and below, the Vastus medialis arises. The vastus medialis, often called the 'teardrop' muscle is a Medially located Muscle of the Quadriceps.
- From the lateral lip and its upward prolongation, the Vastus lateralis takes origin. The Vastus lateralis (Vastus externus is the largest part of the Quadriceps femoris.
- The Adductor magnus is inserted into the linea aspera, and to its lateral prolongation above, and its medial prolongation below. The adductor magnus is a large triangular muscle situated on the Medial side of the Thigh.
- Between the Vastus lateralis and the Adductor magnus two muscles are attached:
- the Gluteus maximus inserted above,
- and the short head of the Biceps femoris arising below. The gluteus maximus' (or glutæus maximus) is the largest and most Superficial of the three Gluteal muscles. The biceps femoris is a muscle of the posterior (the back Thigh.
- Between the Adductor magnus and the Vastus medialis four muscles are inserted:
- the Iliacus and Pectineus above;
- the Adductor brevis and Adductor longus below. The Iliacus is a flat triangular muscle which fills the Iliac fossa. The pectineus muscle is a flat quadrangular Muscle, situated at the anterior part of the upper and medial aspect of the Thigh. The adductor brevis is a muscle in the thigh situated immediately behind the Pectineus and Adductor longus. The adductor longus muscle is a Muscle of the Human body. It is a part of the adductor group of the thigh that as the name suggests adducts the thigh
The linea aspera is perforated a little below its center by the nutrient canal, which is directed obliquely upward.
Additional images
 Cross-section through the middle of the thigh. |
External links
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. Dartmouth College ( is a private, Coeducational University located in Hanover, New Hampshire, U The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (or Gray's Anatomy as it has commonly been shortened is an English-language Human anatomy Textbook As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.
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