The regeneration of cholinesterase-positive structures in the process of burn wound healing in the skin of the guinea-pig

Abstract

The regeneration of acetylcholinesterase-positive structures was studied during the process of third-degree burn wound healing in the skin of guinea-pigs. The procedure in this study generally followed the histochemical thiocholine technique of Karnovsky and Roots (1964) with slight modification. Acetylcholinesterase activity in the skin was found to disappear from the burn wound including its margin within 14 days post burn. True regeneration of acetylcholinesterase activity became visible after 21 days post burn. The cholinergic fibres reinnervating arterioles became visible on the twenty-first day, and thereafter gradually increased in number and staining intensity at the deep region of scar margins. The cholinergic fibres detected at the upper region of the scar centre on the twenty-first day disappeared on the twenty-eighth day. Such denervation of the cholinergic fibres may be elicited by the absence of the target organs or by a dense collagenous scar which induces degenerative changes in regenerated nerves. The denervation of cholinergic nerve fibres occurred in association with degeneration of the target organs. On the other hand, the regeneration of the cholinergic nerve fibres was not always associated with the regeneration of the target organs, but occurred later than that of the target organs.