Application of the Cajal-De Castro method to the laser scanning confocal microscope in studying the peripheral nervous system.

ABSTRACT

We tested the Cajal-De Castro method with the Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope (LSCM). This method is a valid investigatory tool for anatomical-morphological study and for the tridimensional reconstruction of the structures of the peripheral nervous system. The combination technique makes it possible to exploit the properties of reflection and fluorescence of the deposited reduced silver. The quantity of which is dependent on the different tissue affinity. On the other hand, since scanning in fluorescence is not selective, both the nerve structures and the surrounding tissue are evidenced and the structures that demonstrate more specific affinity for silver salt are more prominent. Being able to study the preparations using both methods contemporaneously makes it possible to obtain very significant tridimensional images that abound in detail. The Cajal-De Castro method also offers interesting possibilities in the morphometric field and in image analysis.