Ultrastructural changes in the gracile nucleus of the rat after sciatic nerve transection

Ultrastructural changes in the gracile nucleus of the rat have been examined after peripheral nerve injury. The sciatic nerve of adult rats was transected at mid-thigh level, and after survival times ranging from 1 day to 32 weeks sections from the gracile nucleus were prepared for electron microscopic examination. Unoperated animals served as controls. Atypical profiles were regularly observed in the experimental cases at post-operative survival times from 3 days up to 32 weeks. It was sometimes not possible to classify these as preterminal axons or terminals, because synaptic contacts could not be identified. The two most common changes throughout the entire post-operative period were greatly expanded myelinated axons, or unmyelinated profiles containing numerous mitochondria, osmiophilic dense bodies and vacuoles. Atypical profiles were occasionally observed in unoperated control animals. The results clearly show that various types of degenerative changes occur in the gracile nucleus after peripheral nerve injury. These changes differ markedly from previously described transganglionic changes in other systems. It cannot be excluded that some of the changes reflect growth-related reactions, although the typical features of axon regeneration could not be found.