title: Serial sectioning, electron microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstruction of fine nerve fibres and other extended objects.
abstract: Two different techniques for three-dimensional reconstructions of nerve fibres or other extended fine tissue structures were developed to study the afferent innervation of the cat's knee-joint capsule. The re-embedding technique starts with series of semithin sections for light microscopic reconstructions. In a second step, selected semithin sections can be re-embedded for ultramicrotomy to examine ultrastructural details. This method offers the possibility to investigate fine structures over a distance of several hundred micrometres without any loss of ultrastructural information. The serial section-ESI technique is based on the electron spectroscopic imaging of semithin sections. Small tissue blocks are cut into series of either semithin or alternate semi- and ultrathin sections which can be directly used for a complete ultrastructural investigation. Finally, true-to-scale three-dimensional reconstructions are performed by graphical techniques or computer-aided methods.
authors.affiliation: Physiological Institute of the University of Würzburg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heppelmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Messlinger
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D006652:Histological Techniques; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000294:innervation; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis