[Comparative morphometric analysis of structural organization of separate heads of the human lateral pterygoid muscle during prenatal period and the first 3 years of the postnatal period].

It was discovered some features in structure and differentiation of different types of the muscular fibers in each of the two heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle during ontogenesis. Taken characteristics gave possibility to think about different functional significance of data of structure in action of the temporomandibular joint of a man.

[The development and morphofunctional characteristics of the human lateral pterygoid muscle]. / Razvitie i morfofunktsional'naia kharakteristika lateral'noi krylovidnoi myshtsy cheloveka.

Peculiarities of the development of superior and inferior heads of lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM) as well as their micro- and ultramicroscopic structure were studied as related to the temporomandibular joint elements in human fetuses and newborns. As a result, heterogeneity and asynchronism of the development of myogenic elements of certain LPM heads were demonstrated. The process of muscle fibres differentiation in LPM superior head leads to more mature structural organization and runs faster than in the inferior head. By the moment of birth average section area of superior head muscle fibres is significantly higher than the inferior head similar parameter.