Lip
lips
Latin	labia oris
Artery	inferior labial, superior labial
Vein	inferior labial, superior labial
Nerve	frontal, infraorbital
Lymph	eaf ,nsbgsegw
Dorlands/Elsevier	l_01/12473861

Lips are a visible organ, at the mouth of humans and many animals. Lips are soft, protruding, movable, and serve as the opening for food intake, as an erogenous organ used in kissing and other acts of intimacy, as a tactile sensory organ, and in the articulation of speech. Image File history File links Mouth. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Section of an artery For other uses, see Artery (disambiguation). ... The Iinferior labial artery (inferior labial branch of facial artery) arises near the angle of the mouth; it passes upward and forward beneath the Triangularis and, penetrating the Orbicularis oris, runs in a tortuous course along the edge of the lower lip between this muscle and the mucous membrane. ... The superior labial artery (superior labial branch of facial artery) is larger and more tortuous than the inferior labial artery. ... In the circulatory system, a vein is a blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart. ... The inferior labial vein is the vein receiving blood from the lower lip. ... The superior labial vein is the vein receiving blood from the upper lip. ... For other uses, see Nerve (disambiguation). ... The Frontal Nerve is the largest branch of the ophthalmic, and may be regarded, both from its size and direction, as the continuation of the nerve. ... After the maxillary nerve enters the infraorbital canal, the nerve is frequently called the infraorbital nerve. ... In mammals including humans, the lymphatic vessels (or lymphatics) are a network of thin tubes that branch, like blood vessels, into tissues throughout the body. ... Elseviers logo. ... Lip, or Lips, may refer to Lip, a soft, protruding organ at the mouth of many animals, including humans Lip (Nintendo), the main character of the Super Famicom video game Panel de Pon Lip Gallagher, one of the main characters in the television drama, Shameless. ...

Anatomical basics of the human lip

One differentiates between the Upper (Labium superius) and lower lip (Labium inferius). The lower lip is usually somewhat larger. The border between the lips and the surrounding skin is referred to as the vermilion border, or simply the vermilion. The vertical groove on the upper lip, is known as the philtrum. The entire skin between the upper lip and the nose is referred to as the "ergotrid". The philtrum (Greek philtron, from philein, to love; to kiss) is the vertical groove in the upper lip, formed where the nasomedial and maxillary processes meet during embryonic development. ...

The skin of the lip, with three to five cellular layers, is very thin compared to typical face skin, which has up to 16 layers. With light skin color, the lip skin contains less melanocytes (cells which produce melanin pigment , which give skin its color). Because of this, the blood vessels appear through the skin of the lips, which leads to their notable red coloring. With darker skin color this effect is less prominent, as in this case the skin of the lips contains more melanin and thus is visually thicker. Melanocytes are cells located in the bottom layer of the skins epidermis. ... Natural Ultramarine pigment in powdered form. ... f you all The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ...

The lip skin is not hairy, and does not have sweat glands or sebaceous glands. Therefore it does not have the usual protection layer of sweat and body oils which keep the skin smooth, kill pathogens, and regulate warmth. For these reasons, the lips dry out faster and become chapped more easily. In humans, there are four kinds of sudoriferous or sweat glands which differ greatly in both the composition of the sweat and its purpose. ... Schematic view of a hair follicle with sebaceous gland. ...

Anatomy in detail

The skin of the lips is stratified squamous epithelium. The mucous membrane is represented by a large area in the sensory cortex, and is therefore highly sensitive. The Frenulum Labii Inferioris is the frenulum of the lower lip. The Frenulum Labii Superioris is the frenulum of the upper lip. For other uses, see Skin (disambiguation). ... H&E stain of biopsy of normal esophagus showing the stratified squamous cell epithelium Section of the human esophagus. ... Somatic sensation consists of the various sensory receptors that trigger the experiences labelled as touch or pressure, temperature (warm or cold), pain (including itch and tickle), and the sensations of muscle movement and joint position including posture, movement, and facial expression (collectively also called proprioception). ... A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin frēnulum, little bridle, the diminutive of frēnum ) is a small fold of tissue that secures or restricts the motion of a mobile organ in the body. ...

Sensory nerve supply

• Trigeminal nerve
  • The infraorbital nerve is a branch of the maxillary branch. It supplies not only the upper lip, but much of the skin of the face between the upper lip and the lower eyelid, except for the bridge of the nose.
  • The mental nerve is a branch of the mandibular branch ( via the inferior alveolar nerve). It supplies the skin and mucous membrane of the lower lip and labial gingiva (gum) anteriorly.

The trigeminal nerve is the fifth (V) cranial nerve, and carries sensory information from most of the face, as well as motor supply to the muscles of mastication (the muscles enabling chewing), tensor tympani (in the middle ear), and other muscles in the floor of the mouth, such as the... After the maxillary nerve enters the infraorbital canal, the nerve is frequently called the infraorbital nerve. ... The maxillary sinus is the largest paranasal sinus. ... For other uses, see Nose (disambiguation). ... The mental nerve emerges at the mental foramen, and divides beneath the Triangularis muscle into three branches: one descends to the skin of the chin. ... The mandible (from Latin mandibÅ­la, jawbone) or inferior maxillary bone is, together with the maxilla, the largest and strongest bone of the face. ... The inferior alveolar nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve, which is itself the third branch (V3) of the fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V). ... The gingiva (sing. ...

Blood supply

The facial artery is one of the six non-terminal branches of the external carotid artery. It supplies the lips by its superior and inferior labial branches, each of which bifurcate and anastomose with their companion artery from the other side. The facial artery (external maxillary artery in older texts) is a branch of the external carotid artery that supplies structures of the face. ... The carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. ...

Muscles acting on the lips

The muscles acting on the lips are considered part of the muscles of facial expression. All muscles of facial expression are derived from the mesoderm of the second pharyngeal arch, and are therefore supplied (motor supply) by the nerve of the second pharyngeal arch, the facial nerve (7th cranial nerve). The muscles of facial expression are all specialised members, of the panniculus carnosus, which attach to the dermis and so wrinkle, or dimple the overlying skin. Functionally, the muscles of facial expression are arranged in groups around the orbits, nose and mouth. Photographs from the 1862 book Mécanisme de la Physionomie Humaine by Guillaume Duchenne. ... Organs derived from each germ layer. ... Schematic of developing fetus with first, second and third arches labeled. ... The facial nerve is the seventh (VII) of twelve paired cranial nerves. ... Cranial nerves are nerves which start directly from the brainstem instead of the spinal cord. ... The panniculus carnosus is part of the subcutaneous tissue. ... The dermis is a layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. ... In anatomy, the orbit is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated. ... For other uses, see Nose (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mouth (disambiguation). ...

The muscles acting on the lips:

• sphincters of the oral orifice
  • buccinator
  • orbicularis oris
• anchor point for several muscles
  • modiolus
• lip elevation
  • levator labii superioris
  • levator labii superioris alaeque nasi
  • levator anguli oris
  • zygomaticus minor
  • zygomaticus major
• lip depression
  • risorius
  • depressor anguli oris
  • depressor labii inferioris
  • mentalis

Look up Sphincter in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Buccinator is a thin quadrilateral muscle, occupying the interval between the maxilla and the mandible at the side of the face. ... The orbicularis oris is the sphincter muscle around the mouth. ... In facial anatomy, the modiolus is a chiasma of facial muscles held together by fibrous tissue, located lateral and slightly superior to each angle of the mouth. ... The Levator labii superioris is a muscle of the human body used in facial expression. ... The levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle is, translated from Latin, the lifter of the upper lip and of the wing of the nose. It is the muscle with the longest name in the human body. ... The Levator anguli oris is a muscle of the human body. ... The Zygomaticus minor is a muscle of the human body. ... The Zygomatic major is a muscle of the human body. ... The Risorius is a muscle of the human body. ... The Depressor anguli oris is a muscle of the human body. ... The Depressor labii is part of a small quadrilateral muscle. ... The Mentalis is a muscle of the human body. ...

Functions of the lips

Food intake

Because they have their own muscles and bordering muscles, the lips are very movable. Lips are used for eating functions, like holding food or to get it in the mouth. In addition, lips serve to close the mouth airtight shut, and to, hold food and drink inside, and to keep out unwanted objects. Through making a narrow funnel with the lips, the suction of the mouth is increased. This suction is essential for babies to breast feed. Lips can also be used to suck in other contexts, such as tactile stimulation of other people. A breastfeeding infant Breastfeeding is the practice of a woman feeding an infant (or sometimes a toddler or a young child) with milk produced from her mammary glands, usually directly from the nipples. ...

Erogenous zone

Because of their high amounts of nerve endings, the lips are an erogenous zone. The lips therefore play a crucial role in kissing and other acts of intimacy. As the mouth, lips, and tongue are among a woman's most erogenous zones, stimulating a woman's mouth and lips during acts of intimacy has been shown to elicit pleasure and to have a direct stimulatory effect on arousing her genital organs. ^[1] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Kiss by Francesco Hayez A kiss is the touching of the lips to some other thing; usually another person. ...

A woman's lips are also a visible expression of her fertility. In studies performed on the science of human attraction, psychologists have concluded that a woman's facial and sexual attractiveness is closely linked to the makeup of her hormones during puberty and development. Contrary to the effects of testosterone on a man's facial structure, the effects of a woman's estrogen levels serve to maintain a relatively "childlike" and youthful facial structure during puberty and during final maturation. It has been shown that the more estrogen a woman has, the larger her eyes and the fuller her lips. Surveys performed by sexual psychologists have also found that universally, men find a woman's full lips to be more sexually attractive than lips that are less so.^[2] A woman's lips are therefore sexually attractive to males because they serve as a biological indicator of a woman's health and fertility. As such, a woman's lipstick (or collagen lip enhancement) takes advantage by "tricking" men into thinking that a women has more estrogen than she actually has, and thus that she is more fertile and attractive.^[3] Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. ... Estriol. ... Tropocollagen triple helix. ...

Tactile organ

The lip has many nerve endings and reacts as part of the tactile (touch) senses. Lips are very sensitive to touch, warmth, and, cold. It is therefore an important aide for exploring unknown objects for babies and toddlers. A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of nerve fibers or axons, which includes the glia that ensheath the axons in myelin. ...

Articulation

The lips serve for creating different sounds - mainly the labial, bilabial, and labiodental consonant sounds - and thus create an important part of the speech apparatus. The lips enable whistling and the performing of wind instruments such as the trumpet, clarinet, and flute. Labials are consonants articulated either with both lips (bilabial articulation) or with the lower lip and the upper teeth (labiodental articulation). ... In phonetics, a bilabial consonant is a consonant articulated with both lips. ... In phonetics, labiodentals are consonants articulated with the lower lips and the upper teeth, or viceversa. ...

Facial expressions

See Full Article: facial expression. The lips visibly express emotions. Photographs from the 1862 book Mécanisme de la Physionomie Humaine by Guillaume Duchenne. ...

Symbolic meaning

Lips are often viewed as a symbol for sensuality and sexuality. This has many origins; above all, the lips are a very sensitive erogenous and tactile organ. Reproductive psychologists have suggested that one reason the female lips are seen as sexually attractive might be because they mimic the appearance and sexual swelling of the labia of the vulva, and that a woman's lips are effectively a secondary sexual organ.[1] This is consistent with research showing male sexual attitudes towards a woman's lips and mouth to be very similar to those towards a woman's vulva. Furthermore, in many cultures of the world, a woman's mouth and lips are veiled because of their representative association with the vulva, and because of their role as a woman's secondary sexual organ.

As part of the mouth, the lips are also associated with the symbolism associated with the mouth as orifice by which food is taken in. The lips are also linked symbolically to neonatal psychology(see for example oral stage of the psychology according to Sigmund Freud). The oral stage in psychology is the term used by Sigmund Freud to describe the childs development during the first 18 to 24 months of life, in which an infants pleasure centers are in the mouth. ... Sigmund Freud (IPA: ), born Sigismund Schlomo Freud (May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939), was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology. ...

Changes to the lip

• One of the most frequent changes of the lips is a blue coloring due to cyanosis; the blood contains less oxygen, and thus has a dark red to blue color, which shows through the thin skin. Cyanosis is the reason why corpses always have blue lips. In cold weather cyanosis can appear, so especially in the winter, blue lips may not be an uncommon sight.
• Lips can (temporarily) swell. The reasons for this are varied and can be from sexual stimulation, injuries and side effects of medications, or misalignment of teeth.
• Cracks or splits in the angles of the lips could be the result of an inflammation of the lips, Angular cheilitis.

Cyanosis refers to the bluish coloration of the skin due to the presence of deoxygenated hemoglobin in blood vessels near the skin surface. ... An abscess on the skin, showing the redness and swelling characteristic of inflammation. ... A condition where there are deep cracks and splits at the corners of the mouth. ...

Diseases

As an organ of the body, the lip can be a focus of disease or show symptoms of a disease:

• Lip herpes (technically Herpes labialis, a form of herpes simplex) is a viral infection which appears in the formation of painful blisters at the lip. It's also commonly known as a cold sore.
• Carcinoma (a malignant cancer that arises from epithelial cells) at the lips, is caused predominantly by using tobacco and overexposure of sunlight. To a lesser extent, it could also come from lack of oral hygiene or poor fitting dentures. Alcohol appears to increase the carcinoma risk associated with tobacco use.

... This article is about the disease. ... The Herpes simplex virus infection (common names: herpes, cold sores) is a common, contagious, incurable, and in some cases sexually transmitted disease caused by a double-stranded DNA virus. ... In medicine, carcinoma is any cancer that arises from epithelial cells. ... Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth clean in order to prevent cavities (dental caries), gingivitis, periodontitis, bad breath (halitosis), and other dental disorders. ...

Literature

Scientific Sources:

• Tomiyama N, Ichida T, Yamaguchi K (2004). "Electromyographic activity of lower lip muscles when chewing with the lips in contact and apart". Angle Orthod 74 (1): 31–6. PMID 15038488. 

• Bisson M, Grobbelaar A (2004). "The esthetic properties of lips: a comparison of models and nonmodels". Angle Orthod 74 (2): 162–6. PMID 15132441. 

• McMinn, R. M. H.; Last, R. J. (1994). Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-443-04662-X. 

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

Look up lip in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Kiss
• Lipstick
• Lip gloss
• Lip balm
• Lip piercing
• Facial expression
• Herpes
• Chapped lips
• Cupid's bow
• Cleft lip

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 151 languages. ... For the American rock band, see Kiss (band). ... Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color and texture to the lips. ... Lip Gloss is a new song by rapper Lil Mama In the music video, Lil Mama is a new student who seeks popularity. ... A tube of ChapStick. ... Lip piercings are a type of body piercing which penetrate the lips, or more commonly, the area surrounding the lips. ... Photographs from the 1862 book Mécanisme de la Physionomie Humaine by Guillaume Duchenne. ... ... Chapped lips is a condition whereby the lips become dry and possibly cracked. ... Cupidon (French for Cupid), by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1875. ...

Additional images

The labial coronary arteries, etc. Image File history File links Gray509. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Lips

• ent/7 at eMedicine
• hednk-030 — Embryology at UNC
• Anatomy at oralhealth.dent.umich.edu