Page 379 - Atlas of Histology with Functional Correlations

FIGURE 9.24 | Sciatic Nerve (Longitudinal

Section)

A longitudinal section of a sciatic nerve is illustrated at a low magnification. A
portion of the epineurium (1) that surrounds the entire nerve is visible with

numerous blood vessels (5) and adipose cells (6).

The connective tissue sheath inferior to the epineurium (1) around the
bundles of nerve fibers or nerve fascicles (3) is the perineurium (2).
Epineurium (1) with blood vessels (4) between the nerve fascicles (3) forms the
interfascicular connective tissue (7).

In a longitudinal section, the individual axons follow a characteristic wavy
pattern. Located among the wavy axons in the nerve fascicle (3) are nuclei (8) of
the Schwann cells and fibrocytes of the endoneurium connective tissue. Schwann
cells and fibrocytes cannot be differentiated at this magnification.

FIGURE 9.24 ■ Sciatic nerve (longitudinal section). Stain: hematoxylin and
eosin. Low magnification.

FIGURE 9.25 | Sciatic Nerve (Longitudinal

Section)

A portion of the sciatic nerve, illustrated in Figure 9.24, is presented at a higher

magnification. The central axons (1) appear as slender threads stained lightly
with hematoxylin and eosin. The surrounding myelin sheath has been washed
out or lost due to chemicals used in histologic preparation, leaving a protein

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