title: Relationships between spindle density, muscle architecture and fibre type composition in different parts of the rabbit masseter.
abstract: The occurrence of muscle spindles was studied in the masseter muscle of rabbits by light-microscopy of whole muscle sections. The distribution of the spindles appeared to be heterogeneous. Most spindles lay in the anterior/deep and mid-parts of the masseter. The lateral/superficial part contained only a few muscle spindles. The distribution of the spindles is correlated to the distribution of slow twitch (type I) extrafusal fibres. This means that spindles, like type I fibres might be involved in the control of fine movements and posture. Spindle density and type I fibre density increase with distance from the temporomandibular joint. This could mean that spindles are involved in controlling bite force.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Anatomy, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bredman
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Weijs
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brugman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009470:Muscle Spindles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011817:Rabbits