Objective     To provide the morphologic data for clinical transplantation of quadriceps femoris (QF) by studying the characteristics of its architecture and the distribution of its spindles in adult males.      Methods     Architectural characteristics of QF from 20 human adult male cadavers were observed at gross-anatomy. Distribution of QF spindles in 5 human adult male cadavers was studied wi

th HE staining.      Results     The average muscle mass of rectus femoris

vastus medialis

vastus lateralis

and vastus intermedius was 158.7±10.5 g

351.5±66.8 g

521.9±72.6 g

and 303.1±44.5 g， respectively. Their length was 30.2±2.0 cm

31.5±2.7 cm

31.0±3.2 cm

and 28.8±2.8 cm

respectively. Their fiber length was 6.7±1.8 cm

9.2±2.0 cm

8.8±1.6 cm

and 9.0±1.5 cm

respectively. Their pinnate angle was 17.1±2.3°

18.6±2.3°

15.5±2.8°

and 10.5±1.6°

respectively. Their cross sectional area was 22.4±3.1 cm

2

34.6±4.3 cm

2

53.8±5.8 cm

2

and 32.5±4.6 cm

2

respectively. Their average muscle spindle density was 19.38/g

21.93 /g

20.18/g

and 18.64/g

respectively. The 2 nerve entering points were located at 10.23±0.97 cm and 14.48±1.12 cm in rectus femoris below the anterior superior iliac spine

at 9.85±1.28 cm in vastus medialis

at 11.88±1.34 cm and 13.98±2.55 cm in vastus lateralis

and at 9.23±1.65 cm in vastus intermedius

respectively.      Conclusion     The 4 muscles of QF belong to the penniform muscle and their nerve entering points in QF are centralized in the second region of the front upper part of thigh. The architecture characteristics of QF and the diversity of spindle densities in different muscles and compartments of the same muscle are closely related with their function.