European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 10 - Number 2
Eur J Anat, 10 (2): 45-48 (2006)

Ultrastructural evidence of vascularization of the central zone of the temporomandibular joint disc in human fetus

Sabu C., Carvalho De Moraes L.O., De Quadros Uzeda-Gonzalez S., Marques S.R., Vretos C., Aguillera A.H., Sasso Scarpati G.R.S., Correa Harb L.J., Sassoli Fazan V.P., Oshima C., Fernandes Jr. J.A., Smith R.L., Garcia Alonso L.

Disciplina de Anatomia Descritiva e Topográfica, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil; Centro de Microscopia Eletrônica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil; Disciplina de Histologia e Biologia Estrutural, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil; Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Departamento de Anatomia e Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP-USP), São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratório de Patologia Molecular, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil; Disciplina de Anatomia Descritiva e Topográfica, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, Rua Botucatu, 740, São Paulo - SP - 04023-900, Brazil

ABSTRACT The present study examined the ultrastructural features of the articular discs of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) of nine human fetuses aging from 21 to 28 weeks. The specimen of the fetal articular discs was sectioned frontally and sagitally and examined under the scanning electron-microscope. The ultrastructural survey of the architecture of the articular disc revealed three bands composed of fibrocartilaginous tissues in the articular disc: namely, 1) anteromedial longitudinal fibers, the dominant component in the superior and inferior portions; 2) anteroposterior transversal fibers, 3) central diagonal fibers. The central portion of the articular disc showed scattered blood vessels containing erythrocytes. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the presence of blood vessels in the central articular of the human TMJ articular disc. This evidence is also lacking in classic textbooks of Anatomy and Developmental Biology.

Keywords: article, blood vessel, controlled study, fetus, fetus (anatomy), human, laceration, microphotography, scanning electron microscopy, temporomandibular joint, vascularization

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)