Zygomaticus minor muscle
Musculus zygomaticus minor
- Related terms: Zygomaticus minor
Definition
Origin: Zygomatic bone
Insertion: Skin of the upper lip
Artery: Facial artery
Nerve: Facial nerve, buccal branch
Action: Elevates upper lip
Description:
The zygomaticus minor is a muscle of facial expression. It originates from malar bone and continues with orbicularis oculi on the lateral face of the Levator labii superioris and then inserts into the outer part of the upper lip.
It draws the upper lip backward, upward, and outward (used in making sad facial expressions). Like all muscles of facial expression, it is innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII).
References
This definition incorporates text from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy (20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, published in 1918 – from http://www.bartleby.com/107/).
