Swett J E, Wikholm R P, Blanks R H, Swett A L, Conley L C
Exp Neurol. 1986 Jul;93(1):227-52. doi: 10.1016/0014-4886(86)90161-5.
The sciatic nerve of the rat is a commonly used model for studies on nerve injury, regeneration, and recovery of function. To interpret the changes that occur in a neuron population subsequent to peripheral nerve injury, and to compare different repair procedures, it is essential to have a complete and accurate understanding of the population's normal cellular constituents and their locations. This study reports on the numbers, sizes, and topographic distributions of the motoneuron populations of individual branches of the rat sciatic nerve (peroneal, tibial, sural, and the medial and lateral gastrocnemius nerves), as determined by retrograde transport of HRP (or WGA-HRP) from cut proximal nerve ends isolated in wax to prevent spread of the tracer substance. Optimal labeling of motoneurons was evident between 42 and 73 h of survival. Reconstructions were made from 40-micron serial sections of spinal segments L6 through L2, usually in the coronal plane. Accurate motoneuron counts were obtained by detailed reconstructions in which an accounting of all "split cell" fragments was made to avoid double cell counts. The sciatic nerve of the albino rat contains a total population of about 2005 +/- 89 motoneurons. The tibial nerve contained 982 +/- 36 cells or 49% of the total. The common peroneal nerve contained 31% or 632 +/- 27 motoneurons. The medial and lateral gastrocnemius nerve branches contained collectively 322 +/- 16 (16%). The sural nerve accounted for only 68 +/- 10 motoneurons (3%). The sciatic motoneurons form a continuous, compact cell column in the dorsolateral quadrant of the ventral horn extending from rostral L6 into the caudal third of L3 over a longitudinal distance of about 6.3 to 7.5 mm. This fusiform column shows its greatest width, 0.5 mm, in mid-L4. Within this compartment motoneurons of each branch of the sciatic occupy spatially distinct subcompartments. Their relative positions are described in detail.
大鼠坐骨神经是研究神经损伤、再生和功能恢复常用的模型。为了解外周神经损伤后神经元群体中发生的变化，并比较不同的修复程序，必须全面、准确地了解该群体正常的细胞成分及其位置。本研究报告了大鼠坐骨神经各分支（腓总神经、胫神经、腓肠神经以及腓肠内侧和外侧神经）运动神经元群体的数量、大小和拓扑分布，这些是通过将HRP（或WGA-HRP）从蜡封的切断近端神经末梢逆行运输来确定的，以防止示踪物质扩散。在存活42至73小时之间，运动神经元的标记效果最佳。重建通常在冠状平面上，取自L6至L2脊髓节段的40微米连续切片。通过详细的重建获得准确的运动神经元计数，其中对所有“分裂细胞”片段进行计数以避免重复计数。白化大鼠的坐骨神经总共约有2005±89个运动神经元。胫神经包含982±36个细胞，占总数的49%。腓总神经包含31%或632±27个运动神经元。腓肠内侧和外侧神经分支总共包含322±16个（16%）。腓肠神经仅占68±10个运动神经元（3%）。坐骨神经运动神经元在腹角背外侧象限形成一个连续、紧密的细胞柱，从L6头端延伸至L3尾端三分之一处，纵向距离约为6.3至7.5毫米。这个梭形柱在L4中部最宽，为0.5毫米。在这个区域内，坐骨神经各分支的运动神经元占据空间上不同的子区域。详细描述了它们的相对位置。
