Light and electron microscope observartions of the effects on the regeneration of the NGF cytochromec following the nerve crush injury in the rat

50 SUMMARY The present study investigates the degenerative and regenerative changes in the N. Ischiadicus of the rat at the 2,3,5,8 and 10 weeks after intraepineural (NGF) nerve growth factor and cytochrome-c injection following crush injury. The differances in nerve were examined ultrastructurally, microscopically and with teasing technique. The tissue samples fixed with 2 % Glutaraldehyde in 1/15 M fosfate buffer and later 1 % Os04 in 1/15 M fosfate buffer. Following dehydration with ethyl alcool series the thick and thin sections were taken from the tissue samples embedded in Araldite examined ultrastructurally and the light microscope. After crush injury, Schwann cell cytoplasm, axoplasm degeneration and accumulation of organellae was seen. In myelinated fibers there was degeneration. Fading of myelin layers, vacuol like areas with different dencity, broken layers and osmiophilic granules were observed between myelin layers. After crush injury, the myelinated fibers of the sciatic nerve was less than that in NGF or cytochrome-c groups and the distal disintegration of myelin sheath remnants and macrophages also appeared to be retarded. At 10 weeks there was essentially regeneration of both the NGF and cytochrome-c groups. The efficiency of regeneration in this concealed any potentially beneficial effect of NGF.