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Functional and structural microanatomy of the fetal sciatic nerve
Author(s) -
Creze Maud,
Zaitouna Mazen,
Krystel Nyangoh Timoh,
Diallo Djibril,
Lebacle Cédric,
Bellin MarieFrance,
Ducreux Denis,
Benoit Gérard,
Bessede Thomas
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.25531
Subject(s) - anatomy , vesicular acetylcholine transporter , sciatic nerve , peripheral myelin protein 22 , fetus , cholinergic , somatic cell , biology , tyrosine hydroxylase , medicine , myelin , immunohistochemistry , pathology , neuroscience , central nervous system , choline acetyltransferase , pregnancy , biochemistry , genetics , gene
The ultrastructure of a nerve has implications for surgical nerve repair. The aim of our study was to characterize the fascicular versus fibrillar anatomy and the autonomic versus somatic nature of the fetal sciatic nerve (SN). Methods Immunohistochemistry for vesicular acetylcholine transporter, tyrosine hydroxylase, and peripheral myelin protein 22 was performed to identify cholinergic, adrenergic, and somatic axons, respectively, in the human fetal SN. Two‐dimensional (2D) analysis and 3D reconstructions were performed. Results The fetal SN is composed of one‐third stromal tissue and two‐thirds neural tissue. Autonomic fibers are predominant over somatic fibers within the neural tissue. The distribution of somatic fibers is initially random, but then become topographically organized after intra‐ and interfascicular rearrangements have occurred within the nerve. Conclusions The fetal model presents limitations but enables illustration of the nature of the nerve fibers and the 3D fascicular anatomy of the SN. Muscle Nerve 56 : 787–796, 2017