title: Can Wistar rats be used as the normotensive controls for nerve morphometry investigations in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the sural nerve morphology among Wistar (WR), Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats, including the nerve fascicles and myelinated fibers morphometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age matched (20 weeks) female WR (N=6), WKY (N=6) and SHR (N=7) had their right and left sural nerves removed, embedded in epoxy resin, and observed by light microscopy. Morphometric analysis was performed with the aid of computer software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite presenting the same age, WR were heavier than WKY and SHR, as were SHR compared to WKY. Systolic arterial pressure was higher in SHR compared to WR, but no differences between SHR and WKY or WR and WKY were observed. The sural nerves were morphometrically symmetric between proximal and distal segments on the same side and between sides in all strains with no differences in the myelinated fiber number. Schwann cell number and density were smaller in SHR and G ratio was larger in SHR, indicating that SHR have thinner myelinated fibers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sural nerve morphology is similar between WKY and WR, allowing the use of WR as the SHR controls in morphological investigations involving peripheral neuropathies.
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Neurosciences, FMRP, USP, Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors: Luciana Sayuri
authors: LS
authors: Sanada
authors: Marcelo Rodrigo
authors: MR
authors: Tavares
authors: Milena Cardoso Maia
authors: MC
authors: Neubern
authors: Helio Cesar
authors: HC
authors: Salgado
authors: Valéria Paula Sassoli
authors: VP
authors: Fazan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013045:Species Specificity; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology