ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS NEUROPATHY .2. FINE-STRUCTURAL STUDY OF THE EARLY STAGES OF AXONAL DEGENERATION

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  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 94  (2) , 253-270
Abstract
The early stages in the development of axonal degeneration in organophosphorous neuropathy were studied by EM of single nerve fibers. Two young adult cats were given a single, i.p. injection of DFP. Eighteen and 20 days later, respectively, after intracardiac perfusion with glutaraldehyde, single nerve fibers were teased from the cats'' left recurrent laryngeal nerves. Four nerve fibers, in progressive stages of axonal degeneration, were subserially sectioned and studied in the EM. Unique, mid-internodal nerve fiber varicosities preceded an axonal degeneration which was initially focal and nonterminal. The varicosities were associated ultrastructurally with intra-axonal and/or intra-myelinic vacuoles. Accumulations of axonal agranular reticulum were found in all 4 fibers but were associated with < 1/2 the varicosities. It appeared, both by light microscopy and EM, that the nerve fiber varicosities progressed to the focal, nonterminal axonal degeneration.