[Changes in the skin epithelium and nerve elements of the rat sole with directed regeneration of the sciatic nerve].

The work has been performed on Wistar rats and non-inbred animals. Their ischiatic nerves have been dissected at the femoral superior third under nembutal narcosis. The end of the sectioned nerve are connected by a fragment of an aorta from rats of the same age. The state of nervous elements and dermal epithelium of the hind extremity sole in the animals is studied by means of general histological and neurohistological techniques. Mitotic activity of cells in the plantar epidermis, thickness as a whole and its separate layers are estimated, keratinization coefficient and correlation of thickness of separate sheaths in the whole layer are calculated. Use of the arterial vessels for connecting the end of the cut ischiatic nerve, trophic ulcers, that usually take place after the nerve section, do not develop. At early stages after the operation mitotic activity in the epidermis decreases by 70%, and the layer thickness--by 40%. Restoration of both indices proceeds slowly. As soon as the regenerating nerve fibers reach the distal part of the ischiatic nerve, the state of the epidermis improves: the mitotic activity differs from the normal by 20-30%, and thickness of the epithelium--by 28-30%. Coordination of thickness of separate layers in the epidermis is not nearly disturbed. It remains in the same state up to complete restoration of receptory structures in the rat plantar skin (during 9-9.5 months after the operation).