Fascial spaces of the head and neck Fascial spaces of the head and neck Fascial spaces (also termed fascial tissue spaces or tissue spaces) are potential spaces that exist between the fasciae and underlying organs and other tissues. In health, these spaces do not exist; they are only created by pathology, e.g. the spread of pus or cellulitis in an infection. The fascial spaces can also be opened during the dissection of a cadaver. The fascial spaces are different from the fasciae themselves, which are bands of connective tissue that surround structures, e.g. muscles. The opening of fascial spaces may be facilitated by pathogenic bacterial release of
Collagen, type XVII, alpha 1 of laminin 5 into the matrix requires collagen XVII. Mutations in the human collagen XVII gene, , lead to the absence or structural alterations and mutations of collagen XVII. The functional consequences include diminished epidermal adhesion and skin blistering in response to minimal shearing forces. The disorder caused by biallelic COL17A1 mutations and is called junctional epidermolysis bullosa, an autosomal recessive skin disease with variable clinical phenotypes. Morphological characteristics of junctional epidermolysis bullosa are rudimentary hemidesmosomes and subepidermal tissue separation. Clinical hallmarks, in addition to blisters and erosions of the skin and mucous membranes, include nail dystrophy, loss of hair,