A new combined bodian-luxol technique for staining unmyelinated axons in semithin, resin-embedded peripheral nerves: a comparison with electron microscopy.
Acta Neuropathol
; 98(4): 323-9, 1999 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10502034
ABSTRACT
Quantitation of unmyelinated fibers (UF) in peripheral nerves has classically relied upon ultrastructural morphometry. Because this method is time-consuming, it is not typically performed in routine analysis of nerve biopsies. We applied the Bodian-Luxol technique to detect unmyelinated axons by light microscopy on semithin sections from resin-embedded nerve tissue. Estimates were compared to ultrastructural counts. The staining appeared highly specific for axons. Excellent correlation was found between optic densities and the population of UF larger than 0.5 microm. The smallest profiles detected by light microscopy had a diameter close to 0.6 microm. This new technique is not a substitute for ultrastructural quantitative morphometry of UF, as very small unmyelinated axons, especially regenerating ones, can not be reliably visualized. However, it provides a valuable light microscopic method for evaluating axonal loss among UF.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Nervos Periféricos
/
Axônios
Limite:
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
1999
Tipo de documento:
Article