Morphological analysis of protease treatment of damaged nerves

Abstract

Intravitam phase-contrast microscopy of individual isolated myelin fibers of rabbit tibial nerves shows that 40-min treatment with 0.2% pronase solution is harmless to intact myelin fibers. In injured nerves such treatment causes sharply expressed proteolysis and a rapid process of wallerian degeneration with ruptures of the axial cylinders and the formation of degeneration ovoids. The findings prove the feasibility and desirability of early primary protease treatment of nerve wounds.