Unusual axons found in experimental brain edema of cats.

Abstract

In a study of the experimental brain edema using the balloon-compression method, unusual axons characterized by numerous mitochondria, vesicles, dense bodies, amorphous material and neurofilaments were demonstrated by electron microscopy. According to their structural features which associated with the stages of the brain edema, the unusual axons were classified into eight types. It was suggested that type I and II might transform to type IV and V by way of type III. The unusual axons accorded in many structural respects with those of nerve degeneration reported in the past. Therefore it was suggested that the unusual axons were closely related to the nerve degeneration, which was supported by the results of the light microscopic observation in the present study.The appearance of the unusual axons may be attributed to the metabolic alterations of glial cells induced by the brain hypoxia or cerebral circulatory disturbance following the compression by which the nourishment of nerve cell may be disturbed.