Summary
Evans blue bound to albumin, forming a vividly red fluorescent complex, was injected into the gastrocnemius muscle of suckling and adult mice. Its distribution in the peripheral and central nervous system was studied. The principal findings were as follows:
Marked age dependent differences were observed. In the adult mice a red fluorescence was found in the sciatic nerve restricted to the epi- and perineurium, and there was no staining of the endoneurium. In suckling mice, on the other hand, a red fluorescent material was present also in the endoneurium of the sciatic nerve.
In suckling mice red fluorescent granules in the cytoplasm of the ipsilateral motor neurones of the spinal cord were found. These motor neurones, showing a red fluorescence were restricted to a level corresponding to the entrance of the spinal roots of the sciatic nerve into the spinal cord. In adult mice no such fluorescence was found in the corresponding motor neurones.
This finding is considered to provide a convincing evidence that transport of a substance can take place in peripheral nerves in a disto-proximal direction. Certain similarities to the behaviour of herpes simplex virus infection after peripheral inoculation of virus, as regards the affection of the motor neurones and the differences between suckling and adult mice, are pointed out.
Zusammenfassung
An Albumin gebundenes Evansblau, das einen Komplex mit lebhafter Rotfluorescenz ergibt, wurde in den M. gastrocnemicus von Saug- und erwachsenen Mäusen injiziert. Seine Verteilung im peripheren und zentralen Nervensystem wurde untersucht. Die wichtigsten Befunde sind:
Deutliche altersabhängige Unterschiede wurden angetroffen. Bei erwachsenen Mäusen blieb die Rotfluorescenz auf das Epi- und Perineurium beschränkt und es fand sich keine Anfärbung des Endoneurium. Bei Säugmäusen hingegen war rot fluorescierendes Material auch im Endoneurium des N. ischiadicus vorhanden.
Bei Saugmäusen fanden sich rot fluorescierende Granula im Cytoplasma homolateraler Motoneurone des Rückenmarks. Die Fluorescenz der Nervenzellen war auf das dem Eintritt der Spinalwurzeln des N. ischiadicus entsprechende Rückenmarkssegment beschränkt. Bei adulten Mäusen war eine solche Fluorescenz entsprechender Motoneurone nicht nachweisbar.
Diese Befunde ergeben einen überzeugenden Hinweis dafür, daß in peripheren Nerven ein Substanztransport in disto-proximaler Richtung erfolgen kann. Auf gewisse Ähnlichkeiten mit dem Verhalten des Herpes simplex Virus nach peripherer Virusapplikation im Hinblick auf die Affektion der spinalen Motoneurone sowie die Unterschiede zwischen Saugmäusen und erwachsenen Tieren wird hingewiesen.
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This study was supported by a grant, B70-12X-82-06, from the Swedish Medical Research Council. The author wishes to express his gratitude to Assoc. Prof. P. Sourander and Ass. Prof. Y. Olsson for valuable criticism and support of the study.
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Kristensson, K. Transport of fluorescent protein tracer in peripheral nerves. Acta Neuropathol 16, 293–300 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00686894
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00686894