title: High concentration of phosphorus is a distinctive feature of myelin. An X-ray elemental microanalysis study using freeze-fracture scanning electron microscopy of rat sciatic nerve.
abstract: We have used rat sciatic nerves submitted to freezing and freeze-fracture to determine the elemental composition of small domains of the peripheral nerve studied at high resolution by scanning electron microscopy. We found that myelin of Schwann cells is unique in its high content in phosphorus (P) that was more than 10 times higher than P measured in any other cells. This high concentration in P makes myelin chemistry suitable of monitoring at the subcellular level using the herein described methodology.
authors: Department of Anatomy and UMIB, ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors: Maria João
authors: MJ
authors: Oliveira
authors: Department of Anatomy and UMIB, ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors: Artur P
authors: AP
authors: Águas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005260:Female; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus
keywords: Schwann cell; cell membrane; phospholipid; ultrastructure