Sole (foot)
Overview
The sole is the bottom of the foot
.
In humans the sole of the foot is anatomically referred to as the plantar aspect
. The equivalent surface in ungulate
s is the hoof
.
The skin on the sole of the foot lacks the vellus hair
and pigmentation
found on the rest of the body, and has a high concentration of sweat pores. The soles are crossed by a set of creases that form during embryogenesis
and contain the thickest layers of skin on the human body due to the weight that is continually placed on them.
Foot
The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...
.
In humans the sole of the foot is anatomically referred to as the plantar aspect
Anatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location are designations employed in science that deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities that might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
. The equivalent surface in ungulate
Ungulate
Ungulates are several groups of mammals, most of which use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. They make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive...
s is the hoof
Hoof
A hoof , plural hooves or hoofs , is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, strengthened by a thick horny covering. The hoof consists of a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard wall formed by a thick nail rolled around the tip of the toe. The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole...
.
The skin on the sole of the foot lacks the vellus hair
Vellus
Vellus hair, colloquially called 'peach fuzz' or 'bum fluff', is short, fine, light-colored, and barely noticeable hair that develops on most of a person's body from his/her childhood. Exceptions include the lips, the back of the ear, the palm of the hand, the sole of the foot, some external...
and pigmentation
Melanin
Melanin is a pigment that is ubiquitous in nature, being found in most organisms . In animals melanin pigments are derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine. The most common form of biological melanin is eumelanin, a brown-black polymer of dihydroxyindole carboxylic acids, and their reduced forms...
found on the rest of the body, and has a high concentration of sweat pores. The soles are crossed by a set of creases that form during embryogenesis
Embryogenesis
Embryogenesis is the process by which the embryo is formed and develops, until it develops into a fetus.Embryogenesis starts with the fertilization of the ovum by sperm. The fertilized ovum is referred to as a zygote...
and contain the thickest layers of skin on the human body due to the weight that is continually placed on them.