Morphometric nerve fiber analysis and aging process of the human abducent nerve.
Myelinated nerve fibers of the human abducent nerve were analyzed with a new staining method that permits simultaneous observation of the axon and surrounding myelin sheath. The following equipment was employed for the measurements: an image-analyzing digitizer, a microscope equipped with a drawing tube (or camera lucida), and a computer for data storage and statistical analysis. The numbers, transverse areas, and circularity ratios of axons were measured in 10 human abducent nerves. The average number was 1,997 with a definite decrease with age, and the average area was 3.90 micron 2.
Sawabe
Y
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Matsumoto
K
K
Goto
N
N
Otsuka
N
N
Kobayashi
N
N
D000010:Abducens Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002102:Cadaver; D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009186:Myelin Sheath; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods