[Effects of facial nerve denervation on masseter muscle of the rats].

The effects of unilateral facial nerve denervation on the facial growth were studied by physiological and by histochemical examinations, using four- week- old Wistar rats. Two hundred twenty rats were divided into three groups: a control group, a group of subjects which resection of the left facial nerve, and a sham operation group. The rats were killed 1, 5, 10, 30, 60, 90, 120 days later. The superficial and deep masseter muscle fibers on both sides were classified into type I and type IIA or IIB on the basis of myosin ATPase activity and the diameter of these fibers was measured. The masseter muscles were stained with H&E and NADH-TR. Electromyogram recordings were analyzed during the rest position, stretch reflex, voluntary action and eating of solid foods in half of all groups. (1) The face of rats after denervation deviated to the right side, and the maxillo-facial skeleton was affected from the 30th day. (2) In the denervation groups the right side showed higher action potentials than the left side. (3) In the deep masseter muscles near muscle spindle in the denervated groups, the percentage of type I fibers on the right side increased on the 90th day, and that of type IIA fibers decreased on the 30th day. (4) The diameter of the deep masseter muscle fibers, of type I, IIA and IIB increased on the right side. These results prove that facial nerve denervation led to a functional disorder and a transformation of growing direction.