title: Nerve regeneration--evidence for early sprout formation.
abstract: Following microneurorrhaphy, sharply transected rat sciatic nerves were harvested 2, 5, 12, 16, 21, and 30 days after repair. Transverse sections of these specimens were made 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 mm distal to the repair and examined with the scanning electron microscope. Myelinated sprouts were found 3 mm distal to the repair on the fifth day. Sprout migration occurred even though old myelin sheaths were present. Sprouts did not appear in old myelin sheath lumens. Many 5 U myelinated sprouts were found 11 mm distally 21 and 30 days after repair. This study demonstrates that nerve regeneration begins early, before degeneration is complete.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure