title: Nerve strain correlates with structural changes quantified by Fourier analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nerve deformation affects physiological function. Bands of Fontana are an optical manifestation of axonal undulations and may provide a structural indicator of nerve strain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed an automated Fourier-based image processing method to quantify the periodicity of bands of Fontana both in bright field images and in axonal undulations in immunolabeled longitudinal sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a strong linear relationship between applied strain and the frequency of bands of Fontana in rat sciatic nerves (-0.0056 μm(-) ⋅%(-) , r2  = 0.829; P < 0.05). This relationship agreed with the observed trend between strain and axonal waviness, calculated from longitudinal sections of sciatic nerves immunolabeled against myelin basic protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This accurate and objective approach has potential to increase our understanding of structure-function relationships in the nervous system and to guide preservation and enhancement of neural function.
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: Ting-Hsien
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lieber
authors.forename: Sameer B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D004676:Myelin Basic Protein
keywords: biomechanics; histology; image processing; peripheral nerve; strain