Alsocalled the muscle plate, it is the middle portion of the (mesodermic) somitefrom which skeletal muscle develops. More specifically, it is a group ofmuscles innervated by muscle fibers nerve root. In contrast, a dermatomeis a skin area innervated by sensory fibers of a single nerve root. Knowledge of the location of mytomes and dermatomes is used during physicalexaminations. Testing mytomes enables the location of specific spinalnerve(s) responsible for the loss of movement or function, whereas testingdermatomes facilitates the location of nerves giving rise to pain.
See Appendicular muscles, Dermatome, Epimere, Hypomere, Somites