From meridians and acupoints to self-supervision and control system: a hypothesis of the 10th functional system based on anatomical studies of digitized virtual human / 南方医科大学学报

Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion has been widely accepted as a useful therapeutics all over the world, but its mechanism has not been fully defined. For this purpose, a reticular framework of whole-body fascia and connective tissues has been established by means of digitized virtual human technique. The virtual acupoints represented three-dimensionally were compared with the sites for stimulation in practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture therapy. The results showed that the fascial network constituted by the connective tissues may be the anatomical basis for acupuncture therapy. We found that the acupoints were mainly located where thick connective tissues were present. In this fascial network, sensitive nerve endings, active cells and lymphatic vessels abounded in the sites with thick connective tissue, and needling at these sites induced definite biological effects. In light of biological phylogeny and embryo development, we believe that the connective tissue network may constitute a new functional system in the human body, the Self-supervision and control system (Fasciology), which provides a theoretical base for acupuncture therapy.

Explanation of essence and substance basis of channels and collaterals with fasciology / 中国针灸

In our research of digital human body, construct of image structures close to the recorder of human channels and collaterals, and trace back to development biology of connective tissue and process of organic evolution, and it is concluded that connective tissue bracket in human body may constitute a new functional system--human self-supervision and control system, meanwhile, we propose a new study field, fasciology. The significance is that it introduces a new functional system in human body and develops new field of scientific research; and it annotate biological foundation and therapeutic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine therapy, which provides medical biological foundation for modern channel research of traditional Chinese medicine; it proposes a suggestion for development strategy of traditional Chinese medicine.