Embryology of the Fascial System

The fascial system is a link between the various body systems. Understanding the embryonic formation of the fascial system contributes to understanding the development of the whole body, helping to understand clinical phenomena. The text presents the concept of the fascial system and its interactions with the neural system. We describe the formation of musculoskeletal fascia from somites and mesenchymal cells of the cranial neural crest. Differences in the formation of the head, neck, trunk, and limbs and their respective embryonic relationships are presented. We detail the formation of visceral fascia and their corresponding innervations, from the tongue to the final portion of the digestive tract; the development of the genitourinary system that occurs later in the celomic cavity; and the formation of the cardiocirculatory and respiratory systems, with the development of their respective envelopes, associated with the corresponding innervation. The text covers the embryology of neural fasciae, both at the level of the central and peripheral nervous system. Finally, the development of derme and pannicular fascia is presented.