Fig. 5
From: Rat superficial masseter operates at long lengths during biting
Plateau and descending FL limb operation of rat SM during incisor biting. Superimposition of in vivo stress-strain operation of rat SM (colored symbols are data from individual bites) onto the passive (grey) and active (black) stress-strain relationships obtained in situ under submaximal tetanic stimulation. Bite data are peak stress (σ) plotted against fascicle strain (ε) at peak force production near occlusion, typically being the shortest fascicle length reached during biting (Fig. 3B). Note how bites on the hardest food type (chow, E = 50.4 MPa, orange) occur at long strains on the descending FL limb, whereas bites on the softest food type tested (raisin, E = 0.2 MPa, purple) involve low stress and occur at FL plateau lengths.
