Ultrastructural and morphometric study on fat cells of the so called subcutaneous "fascia areolaris" and "fascia lamelaris" in the human inguinal region.

The fat cells of the so called fascia areolaris and fascia lamelaris (Velpeau 1834; Sterzi 1910) of men and women (aged from 20 to 35 years) were ultrastructural and morphometrically (cell volume) studied. No noteworthy submicroscopic difference was observed between fascias. The cell volumes obtained from planimetric measures showed the following values: 3.770 X 10(5) microns and 2.497 X 10(5) microns in the fascia aerolaris and lamelaris of men, respectively. For the women the values were: 7.222 X 10(5) microns and 5.025 X 10(5) microns (Fig. 3). The analysis of variance shows significant differences between the sexes and between fascia areolaris and lamelaris. The difference between the fascias supports the Sterzi's (1910) description on the tela subcutanea as being formed by those two distinct layers.