Strain partitioning between nerves and axons: Estimating axonal strain using sodium channel staining in intact peripheral nerves

Bianchi, Fabio; Sedgwick, Ruby; Ye, Hua; Thompson, Mark S.

doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.08.003

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These are seen especially in rat peripheral nerves, which unlike human nerves are lacking in epineurium (Kerns, 2008). Using a wide variety of methods, the consensus is that undulations in the axons, the endoneurium, and the perineurium (but not the epineurium) contribute to the Bands of Fontana which decrease upon nerve stretching (Clarke and Bearn, 1972;Haninec, 1986;Islam et al, 2012;Merolli et al, 2012;Love et al, 2013;Bianchi et al, 2018b). Franco et al (2008) demonstrated a fourth outermost connective tissue sheath called the mesoneurium in the brachial plexus of human cadavers; it functions clinically to contain the spread of an injected local anesthetic and may enhance sliding with adjacent tissues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical Properties of the Human Tibial and Peroneal Nerves Following Stretch With Histological Correlations

Kerns

Piponov

Helder

et al. 2019

The Anatomical Record

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite the extensive literature regarding peripheral nerve stretch injuries, there are few studies that compare the nerve histology with the mechanical properties in humans. There is clinical evidence suggesting that the peroneal nerve is at greater risk for injury compared to the tibial nerve following total hip arthroplasty and hip trauma. We examined the two nerves from fresh human cadavers with or without controlled stretch. The mechanical properties, stiffness, and strain were compared with light microscopic preparations in longitudinal sections stained by the trichrome method for collagen and showing the effects of structural deformation. The tibial nerve had an average failure load 1.7× that for the peroneal nerve (P = 0.0001). Although the corresponding average stiffness showed a trend toward being larger (4.39 vs. 3.81 N/mm), the difference was not significant (P = 0.126). Histologically, the perineurium along with the underlying nerve fascicle was undulated in the control specimens and straightened out in the stretched specimens. Peroneal nerves went on to failure at lower loads and exhibited a wavy pattern on pathologic slides after failure, which shows that peroneal nerves fail mechanically before they can unfold. The tibial nerve has a biomechanical and histological advantage compared to the peroneal nerve during tensile testing, which could be the reason why it is less commonly damaged. We conclude that the perineurium is especially protective against deformation changes in human nerves relative to the respective nerve size and number of fascicles.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical Properties of the Human Tibial and Peroneal Nerves Following Stretch With Histological Correlations

Kerns

Piponov

Helder

et al. 2019

The Anatomical Record

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Supraphysiological stretch of 5%-20% in peripheral nerves as a result of trauma, aberrant limb positioning, or surgery, is known to cause conduction blocks (Rickett, Connell, Bastijanic, Hegde, & Shi, 2011), however, the mechanisms are not fully understood. We have previously shown how strain is transferred from tissue to cells in peripheral nerve (Bianchi, Sedgwick, Ye, & Thompson, 2018). In this work, we focus on the lower scale, investigating how whole-cell strain affects membrane-embedded ion channels and their ability to fire action potentials (APs).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ion current and action potential alterations in peripheral neurons subject to uniaxial strain

Bianchi

Malboubi

George

et al. 2019

J of Neuroscience Research

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Peripheral nerves, subject to continuous elongation and compression during everyday movement, contain neuron fibers vital for movement and sensation. At supraphysiological strains resulting from trauma, chronic conditions, aberrant limb positioning, or surgery, conduction blocks occur which may result in chronic or temporary loss of function. Previous in vitro stretch models, mainly focused on traumatic brain injury modelling, have demonstrated altered electrophysiological behavior during localized deformation applied by pipette suction. Our aim was to evaluate the changes in voltage‐activated ion channel function during uniaxial straining of neurons applied by whole‐cell deformation, more physiologically relevant model of peripheral nerve trauma. Here, we quantified experimentally the changes in inwards and outwards ion currents and action potential (AP) firing in dorsal root ganglion‐derived neurons subject to uniaxial strains, using a custom‐built device allowing simultaneous cell deformation and patch clamp recording. Peak inwards sodium currents and rectifying potassium current magnitudes were found to decrease in cells under stretch, channel reversal potentials were found to be left‐shifted, and half‐maximum activation potentials right‐shifted. The threshold for AP firing was increased in stretched cells, although neurons retained the ability to fire induced APs. Overall, these results point to ion channels being damaged directly and immediately by uniaxial strain, affecting cell electrophysiological activity, and can help develop prevention and treatment strategies for peripheral neuropathies caused by mechanical trauma.

show abstract

“…Mechanical properties play an important role in implementing constant structural support to protect the nascent axon from scar tissue invasion, prevent the compression of surrounding tissues against regenerative cells, and ensure successful nerve regeneration. Despite numerous reports on peripheral nerve stretch injuries [20,[28][29][30][31], few studies have compared human nerve histology and mechanical properties. Kerns et al have compared the tibial nerve following total hip arthroplasty and hip trauma using two nerves from fresh human cadavers with or without controlled stretch and revealed the mechanical properties of the human peroneal nerve, with Young's modulus of 10.4 MPa and maximum tensile strength of 3.88 MPa [32].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nerve Regeneration and Gait Function Recovery with Implantation of Glucose/Mannose Conduits Using a Rat Model: Efficacy of Glucose/Mannose as a New Neurological Guidance Material

Yamamoto,

Saito,

Ohseki

et al. 2024

Bioengineering

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Therapy with clinical nerve guidance conduits often causes functional incompleteness in patients. With the aim of better therapeutic efficacy, nerve regeneration and gait function were investigated in this study using a novel nerve guidance conduit consisting of glucose/mannose. The glucose/mannose nerve guidance conduits were prepared by filling the conduits with the glucose/mannose aqueous solutions for different kinematic viscosity, which were applied to sciatic nerve defects (6 mm gap) in a rat model. The nerve regeneration effect and the gait function recovery with the fabricated nerve guidance conduits were examined. From the results of the XRD measurement, the glucose/mannose conduits were identified as crystal structures of cellulose type II. Young’s modulus and the maximum tensile strength of the crystalline glucose/mannose conduits demonstrated good strength and softness for the human nerve. Above 4 weeks postoperative, macroscopic observation revealed that the nerve was regenerated in the defective area. In various staining results of the nerve tissue removed at 4 weeks postoperative, myelinated nerves contributing to gait function could not be observed in the proximal and distal sites to the central nerve. At 8–12 weeks postoperative, myelinated nerves were found at the proximal and distal sites in hematoxylin/eosin staining. Glia cells were confirmed by phosphotungstic acid–hematoxylin staining. Continuous nerve fibers were observed clearly in the sections of the regenerated nerves towards the longitudinal direction at 12 weeks postoperative. The angle between the metatarsophalangeal joint and the ground plane was approximately 93° in intact rats. At 4 weeks postoperative, walking was not possible, but at 8 weeks postoperative, the rats were able to walk, with an angle of 53°. At 12 weeks postoperative, the angle increased further, reaching 65°, confirming that the rats were able to walk more quickly than at 8 weeks postoperative. These results demonstrated that gait function in rats treated with glucose/mannose nerve guidance conduits was rapidly recovered after 8 weeks postoperative. The glucose/mannose nerve guidance conduit could be applied as a new promising candidate material for peripheral nerve regeneration.

show abstract

Strain partitioning between nerves and axons: Estimating axonal strain using sodium channel staining in intact peripheral nerves

Abstract: This technique can help understand the mechanisms behind the onset of conduction blocks in injured peripheral nerves, as well as to evaluate changes in multi-scale mechanical properties in diseased nerves.

Cited by 7 publications

References 33 publications

Mechanical Properties of the Human Tibial and Peroneal Nerves Following Stretch With Histological Correlations

Mechanical Properties of the Human Tibial and Peroneal Nerves Following Stretch With Histological Correlations

Ion current and action potential alterations in peripheral neurons subject to uniaxial strain

Nerve Regeneration and Gait Function Recovery with Implantation of Glucose/Mannose Conduits Using a Rat Model: Efficacy of Glucose/Mannose as a New Neurological Guidance Material

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About