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The ultrastructure of tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate-poisoning

I. Studies on myelin and axonal alterations in the sciatic nerve

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Summary

Phase and electron microscopic examination of the sciatic nerves of chickes poisoned by TOCP revealed the presence of distinct alterations of peripheral nerve fibres as early as one day after the onset of clinical signs. These included myelinated as well as unmyelinated nerve fibers. A gradual difference of severity on various levels of the nerve cannot be determined with certainty. Whereas only a moderate damage of the myelin sheath occurred, striking changes were observed in the axoplasm. They displayed at first the aspect of a hypertrophy of the agranular ER (endoplasmic reticulum) which paralleled a distortion of the neurofilaments.

High resolution studies revealed as an interesting feature a pathologic pattern of the axon-Schwann cell compound membrane. The normal gap existing between the paired unit membranes appeared to be discontinously closed. This fact suggests a structural alteration of the molecular composition of the adjacent membranes, in particular of the axon membrane.

Zusammenfassung

Phasenkontrast- und elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen der Nervi ischiadici von Hühnchen mit TOCP-Vergiftung erwiesen das Auftreten von Veränderungen peripherer Nervenfasern einen Tag nach dem Beginn der klinischen Symptomatik. Diese Veränderungen betrafen markhaltige und marklose Nervenfasern. Intensitätsunterschiede der Schädigungen in verschiedenen Nervenabschnitten sind nicht sicher feststellbar. Im Gegensatz zu der mäßigen Schädigung der Markscheiden wurden auffallende Axonplasmaveränderungen beobachtet. Sie erschienen zunächst als Hypertrophie des agranulären endoplasmatischen Reticulums begleitet von einer Distorsion der Neurofilamente. Bei hoher Auflösung fand sich ein bemerkenswertes pathologisches Muster der Axon-Schwannzell-Verbundmembran. Der normale Spalt zwischen den paarigen unit-Membranen erschien diskontinuierlich verschwunden. Dieser Befund legt eine strukturelle Änderung in der molekulären Zusammensetzung der benachbarten Membranen, im besonderen der Axonmembran, nahe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Research Unit of the Department of Neurology of the University of Zürich Medical School, Zürich, Switzerland

    A. Bischoff

  2. Forschungsabteilung der Neurolog. Univ.-Klinik und Poliklinik, Rämistr. 100, CH-8006, Zürich, Schweiz

    A. Bischoff

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This work was supported by a special fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Nr. 3503) and by a grant from the American-Swiss Foundation for Scientific Exchange.

This work was in part carried out at the Research Laboratory, Mc Lean Hospital, Belmont, Mass., under the direction ofJ. D. Robertson.

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Bischoff, A. The ultrastructure of tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate-poisoning. Acta Neuropathol 9, 158–174 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691441

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691441

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