Spindle-shaped, cross-banded structures in human peripheral nerves.

Fusiform, cross-banded structures (fibrous long-spacing collagen, or Luse bodies) were found in a nerve contained in the perivascular connective tissue of the short saphenous vein and in the sural nerve in man. The periodicity of cross-bandings was 140-170 nm and there was no intraperiod striation. The banded structures were found either isolated in the endoneurial spaces or contiguous with the surface of Schwann cells or fibroblasts. The nature, origin, and pathological significance of structures of this type in peripheral nerve are briefly discussed.