The structure and function of the jaw muscles in the rat (Rattus norvegicus L.)

'Tonic' and 'phasic' muscle fibre types can be distinguished histologically, using either histochemical techniques or by staining for lipid with Sudan black B. As muscles of mastication not only move the lower jaw of the rat, a 'phasic' action, but also suspend it from the cranium, a 'tonic' activity, some indication of the contribution of the major muscles to these functions has been gained from an examination of the fibre content of transverse frozen sections stained with Sudan black B. The numbers of 'pale' ('phasic') and 'dark' ('tonic') fibres were counted using a montage at a magnification of 60. Results suggest that the anterior temporal, deep masseter and external pterygoid have an important tonic action in stabilizing the position of the lower jaw as well as contributing to the production of movement; and that the superficial masseter and posterior temporal, in particular, have an almost completely phasic action. These conclusions are entirely consistent with the probable functions of the muscles inferred from their anatomy.