Mouse sciatic nerve regeneration through semipermeable tubes: a quantitative model.
The regeneration of transected mouse sciatic nerves using semipermeable acrylic copolymer tubes to enclose both stumps has been qualitatively assessed from 1 to 30 weeks post-operative. Quantitative morphometric analysis of electron micrograph montages of complete transverse sections of the segment regenerated between stumps has permitted determinations of the percents of total area occupied by the various tissue constituents--blood vessels, epineurium, perineurium, endoneurium, myelinated axon/Schwann cell units, and unmyelinated axon/Schwann cell units. Significant differences were found in the total cross-sectional area of segments regenerated through tubes of 1.0 mm versus 0.5 mm internal diameters. Segments regenerated with the distal stump inserted in the tube contained significantly greater percentages of neural units and were significantly larger at 8 weeks post-operative compared to segments regenerated for 9-10 weeks with the distal stump avulsed. The morphometric method permits rapid quantitation of sizeable electron micrograph montages which at 1300 X permit all types of tissue components, including the unmyelinated axons, to be visualized.
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000818:Animals; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D010539:Permeability; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000180:Acrylic Resins; C030841:XM-50 Amicon; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride