Uptake and retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase in regenerating facial motor neurons of the mouse.

Uptake and retrograde axonal transport of intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was studied during regeneration after a crush injury of the facial nerve of the mouse. The circulation time of HRP was 12 to 24 h. HRP injected immediately after the crush diffused into injured axons in the crushed region and accumulated subsequently in perikarya of facial neurons in the brain stem. After a time interval of 1 h or 5 days between the crush and the injection only a faint HRP accumulation occurred in a few facial neurons. After an interval of 7 days a moderate number of neurons had incorporated the tracer, while after more than 9 days the HRP activity in the regenerating neurons was more pronounced than in the contralateral neurons. Ultrastructurally, muscles of the vibrissae showed denervated subneural apparatuses 6 days after the crush. 8 days after the crush regenerating axon terminals containing small clusters of synaptic vesicles, dense cored vesicles and some HRP-labelled vesicles, were found over some gutters and after 10 to 13 days all examined gutters contained axon terminals with large numbers of synaptic vesicles and some HRP-containing vesicles. More than one axon terminal profile was seen in the same synaptic gutter. 32 and 64 days after the crush the neuromuscular junctions had regained a more mature appearance. The calibre spectra of the crushed facial nerves still showed a shift towards smaller diameters 134 days after the crush, at a time when a slight increase in HRP activity in the facial neurons persisted.