title: Morphological measurement of neurotoxic injury in the peripheral nervous system: preparation of material for light and transmission electron microscopic evaluation.
abstract: An important method of assessing experimental neurotoxic injury is the pathologic examination of the nervous system. Methods for fixation, sampling, and preparation of peripheral nervous system tissues for critical pathological neurotoxicology studies are presented. Fixation of tissue is carried out using either perfusion-fixation of laboratory animals or immersion-fixation of dissected nerve segments. Dissection of the peripheral nervous system (from perfusion-fixed animals) is done to allow for multilevel sampling. Focus is on use of epoxy resin embedding tissue sections for optimal light microscopic resolution. Protocols for processing, sectioning, and staining for light and transmission electron microscopy are provided. A protocol for teasing and microscopic study of individual myelinated fibers is provided.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hinckley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ehrich
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Jortner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins