Biomaterial Database

Electron microscopic findings of the peripheral nerve lesions of nude mice inoculated with M. leprae. 1985

Y Fukunishi

Peripheral nerve lesions of nude mice inoculated with Mycobacterium leprae were examined from 1 year to 1 year and 8 months post-inoculation. Leprosy bacilli and intracytoplasmic foamy structures were found in the perineurial cells, endothelial cells of capillaries, Schwann cells, and axons of the myelinated nerve fibers inside the lepromas of foot pads. In the proximal portion of the sciatic nerve, bacilli were found chiefly in the macrophages of the endoneurial space. Bacilli were not found in the perineurial cells of the sciatic nerves. Marked fibrosis, hypertrophy or degeneration of Schwann cells, demyelination, axonal damage or irreversible destruction of nerve architecture were not observed clearly. Therefore, it is thought that nude mice inoculated with M. leprae are suitable models for the study of the early peripheral nerve lesions of lepromatous leprosy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007918	Leprosy	A chronic granulomatous infection caused by MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE. The granulomatous lesions are manifested in the skin, the mucous membranes, and the peripheral nerves. Two polar or principal types are lepromatous and tuberculoid.	Hansen's Disease,Hansen Disease
D008819	Mice, Nude	Mutant mice homozygous for the recessive gene "nude" which fail to develop a thymus. They are useful in tumor studies and studies on immune responses.	Athymic Mice,Mice, Athymic,Nude Mice,Mouse, Athymic,Mouse, Nude,Athymic Mouse,Nude Mouse
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009166	Mycobacterium leprae	A species of gram-positive, aerobic bacteria that causes LEPROSY in man. Its organisms are generally arranged in clumps, rounded masses, or in groups of bacilli side by side.
D009413	Nerve Fibers, Myelinated	A class of nerve fibers as defined by their structure, specifically the nerve sheath arrangement. The AXONS of the myelinated nerve fibers are completely encased in a MYELIN SHEATH. They are fibers of relatively large and varied diameters. Their NEURAL CONDUCTION rates are faster than those of the unmyelinated nerve fibers (NERVE FIBERS, UNMYELINATED). Myelinated nerve fibers are present in somatic and autonomic nerves.	A Fibers,B Fibers,Fiber, Myelinated Nerve,Fibers, Myelinated Nerve,Myelinated Nerve Fiber,Myelinated Nerve Fibers,Nerve Fiber, Myelinated
D010525	Peripheral Nerves	The nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including the autonomic, cranial, and spinal nerves. Peripheral nerves contain non-neuronal cells and connective tissue as well as axons. The connective tissue layers include, from the outside to the inside, the epineurium, the perineurium, and the endoneurium.	Endoneurium,Epineurium,Perineurium,Endoneuriums,Epineuriums,Nerve, Peripheral,Nerves, Peripheral,Perineuriums,Peripheral Nerve
D004727	Endothelium	A layer of epithelium that lines the heart, blood vessels (ENDOTHELIUM, VASCULAR), lymph vessels (ENDOTHELIUM, LYMPHATIC), and the serous cavities of the body.	Endotheliums
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012583	Schwann Cells	Neuroglial cells of the peripheral nervous system which form the insulating myelin sheaths of peripheral axons.	Schwann Cell,Cell, Schwann,Cells, Schwann
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus