Superior tarsal muscle

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The superior tarsal muscle ~~(Muller's~~(Müller muscle or cremaster tarsus) is a small muscle of the superior orbit arising from the undersurface of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle that elevates and retracts the upper eyelid. It is not part of the ~~extra-ocular~~extraocular muscles; it does not insert on the globe and therefore does not produce eye movements. It is composed of smooth muscle fibres which isare under sympathetic control.

Summary

origin: undersurface of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle
insertion: upper margin of the superior tarsal plate
innervation: sympathetics on the superior branch of the oculomotor nerve (CN III) derived from the internal carotid artery sympathetic plexus
action: elevates and retracts the upper eyelid

Clinical significance

Horner syndrome, due to injury or pathology of the cervical sympathetic chain, can lead to reduced sympathetic innervation of the muscle and cause ptosis. There are usually other signs of Horner syndrome present to help differentiate from other causes of ptosis.

-The superior tarsal muscle (Muller's muscle or cremaster tarsus) is a small muscle of the superior <a href="/articles/orbit">orbit</a> arising from the undersurface of the <a href="/articles/levator-palpebrae-superioris-muscle">levator palpebrae superioris muscle</a> that elevates and retracts the upper eyelid. It is not part of the <a href="/articles/extraocular-muscles-1">extra-ocular muscles</a>; it does not insert on the globe and therefore does not produce eye movements. It is composed of smooth muscle fibres which is under sympathetic control.<h4>Summary</h4><ul>
+The superior tarsal muscle (Müller muscle or cremaster tarsus) is a small muscle of the superior <a href="/articles/orbit">orbit</a> arising from the undersurface of the <a href="/articles/levator-palpebrae-superioris-muscle">levator palpebrae superioris muscle</a> that elevates and retracts the upper <a title="Eyelid" href="/articles/eyelid">eyelid</a>. It is not part of the <a href="/articles/extraocular-muscles-1">extraocular muscles</a>; it does not insert on the globe and therefore does not produce eye movements. It is composed of smooth muscle fibres which are under sympathetic control.<h4>Summary</h4><ul>
~~-origin: undersurface of the <a title="Levator palpebrae superioris muscle" href="/articles/levator-palpebrae-superioris-muscle">levator palpebrae superioris muscle</a>~~
+origin: undersurface of the <a href="/articles/levator-palpebrae-superioris-muscle">levator palpebrae superioris muscle</a>
~~-insertion: upper margin of the superior tarsal plate</li>~~
+insertion: upper margin of the <a title="Superior tarsal plate" href="/articles/tarsal-plate">superior tarsal plate</a>
+</li>
-innervation: sympathetics on the superior branch of the <a href="/articles/oculomotor-nerve">oculomotor nerve (CN III)</a> derived from the internal carotid artery sympathetic plexus</li>
+innervation: sympathetics on the superior branch of the <a href="/articles/oculomotor-nerve">oculomotor nerve (CN III)</a> derived from the <a title="sympathetic plexus" href="/articles/sympathetic-plexus">internal carotid artery sympathetic plexus</a>
+</li>
-<a href="/articles/horner-syndrome">Horner syndrome</a>, due to injury or pathology of the cervical sympathetic chain, can lead to reduced sympathetic innervation of the muscle and cause <a title="Ptosis" href="/articles/ptosis">ptosis</a>. There are usually other signs of Horner syndrome present to help differentiate other causes of ptosis</li></ul>
+<a href="/articles/horner-syndrome">Horner syndrome</a>, due to injury or pathology of the cervical sympathetic chain, can lead to reduced sympathetic innervation of the muscle and cause <a href="/articles/ptosis">ptosis</a>. There are usually other signs of Horner syndrome present to help differentiate from other causes of ptosis.</li></ul>