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Updated: Sep 25, 2025
Experimental Demyelination and Remyelination of Murine Spinal Cord by Focal Injection of Lysolecithin
Published on: March 26, 2015
Transmission electron microscopic analysis of myelination in the murine central nervous system
Yan Wang1,2, Bo Sun2,3, Bradley Shibata4,5
1Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
Abstract:
Myelin provides physical, neurotrophic, and metabolic support for axonal integrity. The thickness of CNS (central nervous system) myelin sheath is usually < one micrometer, which is under or near the detection threshold of the conventional light microscopy. Here, we present a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy-based protocol to assess myelination at the ultrastructural level. We describe sample preparation from mouse tissue, followed by electron microscopic imaging and CNS myelination analysis. This protocol is also useful for analyzing murine PNS myelination. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wang et al. (2021).
Insights
This study introduces a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy protocol for analyzing myelin sheath thickness in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The method enhances ultrastructural assessment of myelination in mouse tissues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Microscopy
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Myelin is crucial for axonal integrity, providing physical, neurotrophic, and metabolic support.
- Conventional light microscopy has limitations in detecting the thin myelin sheaths (<1 micrometer) in the central nervous system.
- Accurate assessment of myelination is vital for understanding neurological health and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) protocol.
- To enable detailed ultrastructural analysis of myelination.
- To provide a method applicable to both central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelination in mouse models.
Main Methods:
- Development of a specialized sample preparation technique for mouse nervous tissue.
- High-resolution transmission electron microscopy for imaging myelinated axons.
- Quantitative analysis of myelination at the ultrastructural level.
Main Results:
- The protocol allows for precise measurement of myelin sheath thickness, exceeding the limits of conventional light microscopy.
- Demonstrated successful application to both CNS and PNS tissues from mouse models.
- Provided a detailed workflow for researchers to follow.
Conclusions:
- This high-resolution TEM protocol offers a robust method for ultrastructural assessment of myelination.
- The technique is valuable for studying the role of myelin in health and disease.
- The protocol is adaptable for analyzing myelination in various neurological research contexts.
