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© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

The extracellular matrix of the articular disc in a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is composed mainly of collagen I and elastin. The collagen is important for resisting tensile forces, while the elastin is responsible to maintain the shape after deformation. We studied the orientation of collagen and elastin in a normal human temporomandibular joint disc by light microscopy, immunofluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. Our results demonstrated that collagen and elastin run parallel to each other in the intermediate zone with an anteroposterior orientation. From here, the orientation of two fibers groups changes into a disordered arrangement in the transition zone. Numerous elastic fibers cross with the collagen fibers, defining an interwoven knitted arrangement. The evaluation of the disc–condyle relationship shows that the medial margin of the articular disc is inserted directly at the superficial layer of the mandibular condylar cartilage. Therefore, the tensile properties of the TMJ disc are expressed in the directions corresponding to the orientation of the collagen fibers, and the complex orientation of elastin with the collagen determines the maintaining of the shape after the stresses by the joint movements. Moreover, the direct anatomical relationship between the articular disc and the mandibular condyle makes a decisive contribution to the understanding of TMJ movements.

Details

Title
Articular Disc of a Human Temporomandibular Joint: Evaluation through Light Microscopy, Immunofluorescence and Scanning Electron Microscopy
Author
Michele Runci Anastasi 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Cascone, Piero 2 ; Giuseppe Pio Anastasi 3 ; Santoro, Giuseppe 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Nicita, Fabiana 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Picciolo, Giacomo 3 ; Favaloro, Angelo 3 ; Rizzo, Giuseppina 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Cutroneo, Giuseppina 4 

 IRCCS (Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, 98100 Messina, Italy; michele.runci@gmail.com 
 Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University of Roma, La Sapienza, 00185 Roma, Italy; piero.cascone@uniroma1.it 
 Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; anapuc@unime.it (G.P.A.); giuseppe.santoro@unime.it (G.S.); gpicciolo@unime.it (G.P.); afavaloro@unime.it (A.F.); giuseppina.rizzo@unime.it (G.R.) 
 Department of Clinic and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy; fabin92@hotmail.it 
First page
22
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
24115142
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2521486501
Copyright
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.