Table 2.

Distribution of neural receptors in TMJ tissues

Extra pericapsular location (mainly)

- Type 1 (Ruffini-like): superficial layers

- Type 2 (Pacini-like): deeper layers

- Type 3(Golgi-like): pericapsular fibrous tissues

Intracapsular locations (mainly)

- Type 4 (non capsulated): free endings with diffuse intra and extra-articular perivascular distribution with high density in intramuscolar and in post-discal soft tissues.

- Elongated cytoplamic processes of chondrocytes demonstrated strong S-100 immunoreactivity but they were unreactive with all other antibodies. These cytoplamic processes were more abundant and thicker in the samples obtained from patients with diseased TMJ.