title: Functional and structural microanatomy of the fetal sciatic nerve.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ultrastructure of a nerve has implications for surgical nerve repair. The aim of our study was to characterize the fascicular versus fibrillar anatomy and the autonomic versus somatic nature of the fetal sciatic nerve (SN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry for vesicular acetylcholine transporter, tyrosine hydroxylase, and peripheral myelin protein 22 was performed to identify cholinergic, adrenergic, and somatic axons, respectively, in the human fetal SN. Two-dimensional (2D) analysis and 3D reconstructions were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fetal SN is composed of one-third stromal tissue and two-thirds neural tissue. Autonomic fibers are predominant over somatic fibers within the neural tissue. The distribution of somatic fibers is initially random, but then become topographically organized after intra- and interfascicular rearrangements have occurred within the nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fetal model presents limitations but enables illustration of the nature of the nerve fibers and the 3D fascicular anatomy of the SN. Muscle Nerve 56: 787-796, 2017.
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Maud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Creze
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Mazen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaitouna
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Nyangoh Timoh
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Krystel
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Djibril
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lebacle
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Paris Sud, University Hospital Bicêtre, AP-HP, France.
authors.forename: Marie-France
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bellin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Paris Sud, University Hospital Bicêtre, AP-HP, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ducreux
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.affiliation: U1195, INSERM, University of Paris Sud, France.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bessede
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
keywords: PMP22; autonomic fibers; fascicular anatomy; human; sciatic nerve; somatic fibers