A new combined bodian-luxol technique for staining unmyelinated axons in semithin, resin-embedded peripheral nerves: a comparison with electron microscopy.
A new combined Bodian Luxol technique for staining unmyelinated axons in semithin, resin embedded peripheral nerves a comparison with electron microscopy.pdf
[en] 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.
Disciplines :
Neurology
Author, co-author :
Deprez, Manuel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Anatomie et cytologie pathologiques
Ceuterick-de Groote, C.; Born Bunge Foundation and University of Antwerp,
Fumal, Arnaud ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Neurologie CHR
Reznik, Michel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Services généraux (Faculté de médecine) > Relations académiques et scientifiques (Médecine)
Martin, J. J.; Born Bunge Foundation and University of Antwerp,
Language :
English
Title :
A new combined bodian-luxol technique for staining unmyelinated axons in semithin, resin-embedded peripheral nerves: a comparison with electron microscopy.
Publication date :
1999
Journal title :
Acta Neuropathologica
ISSN :
0001-6322
eISSN :
1432-0533
Publisher :
Springer Verlag, New York, United States - New York
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