[Bodian process. Ultrastructural study]

The Bodian method was used for an ultrastructural study on the optic nerve of the adult cat in order to compare the effects of two fixation techniques on the normal nerve and on the nerve during Wallerian degeneration after unilateral enucleation. Immersion fixation causes a predominately metallic deposit in the myelin sheath; the perfusion has no effect. During the Wallerian degeneration the two fixation methods lead to a metallic deposit located in the axon which is in large grains after immersion and extremely dense after perfusion. Various diffraction methods were used to identify the nature of the metallic deposit. These results emphasize the positive elements in systemically associating the electron microscope with the optic microscope for studies concerning Wallerian degeneration after metallic impregnation in the central nervous system