Characteristic anatomical structures of rat temporal bone

摘要

As most gene sequences and functional structures of internal organs in rats have been well studied, rat models are widely used in experi-mental medical studies. A large number of descriptions and atlas of the rat temporal bone have been published, but some detailed anatomy of its surface and inside structures remains to be studied. By focusing on some unique characteristics of the rat temporal bone, the current paper aims to provide more accurate and detailed information on rat temporal bone anatomy in an attempt to complete missing or unclear areas in the existed knowledge. We also hope this paper can lay a solid foundation for experimental rat temporal bone surgeries, and promote information exchange among colleagues, as well as providing useful guidance for novice researchers in the field of hearing research involving rats. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Production & hosting by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd On behalf of PLA General Hospital Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).