A fine structural analysis of the myelin sheath in rat spinal roots.

The present study is concerned with the fine structure of the myelin sheath in rat and monkey spinal roots. Pictures are obtained that show that the intraperiod gap of the myelin sheath is continuous and opens into both the internal and external mesaxons, which in turn open into the periaxonal and endoneurial extracellular spaces. These results are compatible with the idea that the intraperiod gap is a cleft that traverses the thickness of the myelin sheath and links the periaxonal and endoneurial extracellular spaces.