Growth factors expression and ultrastructural morphology after application of low-level laser and natural latex protein on a sciatic nerve crush-type injury
Fig 5
Ultrastructural characteristics (TEM) Eight weeks after nerve injury.
Exposed. Exposed Nerve—Normal characteristics were observed with the presence of large caliber myelin fibers (m) and the axoplasm (a) region containing mitochondria (mag: X2,000). Exposed'. At higher magnification, unmyelinated fibers (u) interspersed with myelinated fibers with mitochondria (short arrow) in the axoplasm region are noted (mag: X10,000). Injury. Injured Nerve—In this period of analysis, small clusters of myelin fibers (m) surrounded by laminar cytoplasmic structures (arrow head) were still observed in this group (mag: X2,000). Injury'. In detail, a cluster of myelin fibers surrounded by cytoplasmic laminae (arrow head) and close to Schwann cells (arrow) (mag: X7,500). LLLT. Injured Nerve with LLLT—Similar characteristics to group I, small clusters of myelin fibers (m) and clusters of unmyelinated fibers (u) were noted (mag: X3,000). LLLT'. At higher magnification, the presence of Schwann cells (arrow) with bulky nuclei containing many mitochondria (short arrow) was observed. Schwan cell cytoplasm involving myelin fiber also revealed mitochondria (short arrow) (mag: X12,000). F1 Protein. Injured Nerve with F1—Higher densities of myelin (m) and unmyelinated fibers (u) were observed, which were no longer seen to be organized into clusters (mag: X2,000). F1 Protein'. In detail, unmyelinated fibers (u) surrounded by cytoplasm of Schwann cells were observed, as well as the presence of Schwann cells with bulky nuclei (arrow) (mag: X10,000). LLLT & F1 Protein. Injured Nerve with LLLT and F1—Characteristics were similar to F1 group, with a dense presence of myelin (m) and unmyelinated fibers (u) and Schwann cells (arrow), without the appearance of clusters (mag: X12,000). LLLT & F1 Protein'. At higher magnification, lamellae of the myelin sheath (curved arrow) surrounded by the Schwann cell cytoplasm and endoneurial collagen fibers (**) were observed. (mag: X50,000).