title: Histochemical staining of nerve endings as an aid to free muscle transplantation.
abstract: Histochemical staining techniques that identify intact motor nerve fascicles are available to aid free muscle transplantation. Cholinesterase activity of myelinated axons can be identified by Karnovsky and Roots's technique. Axon viability can be assessed based on the presence of axoplasmic enzyme activity. By reacting serial sections for cholinesterase activity and carbonic anhydrase activity, which labels sensory axons, an accurate cross-sectional map of regenerating or functional sensory and motor nerve fibers can be constructed. Resolving the motor and sensory identities of fascicles in a mixed peripheral nerve should lead to more precise coaptation of recipient motor fibers to the motor nerve of the transferred muscle and enhance reinnervation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sanger
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yousif
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Matloub
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases; D002802:Cholinesterases; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000601:surgery; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation / Q000637:transplantation*; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D002802:Cholinesterases; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases