open access

Vol 81, No 4 (2022)
Original article
Submitted: 2021-07-22
Accepted: 2021-08-23
Published online: 2021-11-05
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Axonal quantification of the white matter association fasciculi in cerebral hemispheres of cow (Bos taurus), pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

M. Guerrero12, I. Romero23, C. Sandoval45, A. Gaibor-Pazmiño1, A. Noroña1, V. Zurita1, M. del Sol26, N. E. Ottone267
·
Pubmed: 34750803
·
Folia Morphol 2022;81(4):874-883.
Affiliations
  1. Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador, Chile
  2. Doctoral Programme in Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Diagnostic Processes and Evaluation, School of Nutrition, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
  4. Escuela de Tecnología Médica, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santo Tomás, Los Carreras, Osorno, Chile
  5. Departamento de Ciencias Preclínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
  6. Centre of Excellence in Morphological and Surgical Studies (CEMyQ), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
  7. Laboratory of Plastination and Anatomical Techniques, Research Centre in Dental Sciences (CICO), Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile

open access

Vol 81, No 4 (2022)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2021-07-22
Accepted: 2021-08-23
Published online: 2021-11-05

Abstract

Background: Cerebral white matter consists mainly of axons surrounded by myelin sheaths, which are grouped to form association, commissural, and projection fasciculi. The aim of our work was to quantify and compare under the microscope the axons of the white matter association fasciculi in the cerebral hemispheres of cow (Bos taurus), pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) indirectly by identification of their myelin sheaths.
Materials and methods: The samples were taken from 30 cerebral hemispheres: 10 cow, 10 pig and 10 rabbit (15 right and 15 left). They were obtained following a protocol based on the Talairach-Tournoux coordinate system for human and primate brains. The slides were stained with Luxol Fast Blue, observed by optical microscopy, and photographed at 600×. Samples were also prepared for observation in scanning transmission electron microscopy with osmium tetroxide. The myelin sheaths/axons were counted with the ImageJ software.
Results: Statistically significant differences in the number of myelin sheaths per 410 μm2 were found in the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi between the left and right hemispheres of cows, with predominance of the right hemisphere; and in the inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus of the rabbit with predominance of the left hemisphere.
Conclusions: The use of animal models for experiments in the cerebral fasciculi, especially pig, could give us a greater understanding of the behaviour of demyelinating and neurodegenerative diseases in humans.

Abstract

Background: Cerebral white matter consists mainly of axons surrounded by myelin sheaths, which are grouped to form association, commissural, and projection fasciculi. The aim of our work was to quantify and compare under the microscope the axons of the white matter association fasciculi in the cerebral hemispheres of cow (Bos taurus), pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) indirectly by identification of their myelin sheaths.
Materials and methods: The samples were taken from 30 cerebral hemispheres: 10 cow, 10 pig and 10 rabbit (15 right and 15 left). They were obtained following a protocol based on the Talairach-Tournoux coordinate system for human and primate brains. The slides were stained with Luxol Fast Blue, observed by optical microscopy, and photographed at 600×. Samples were also prepared for observation in scanning transmission electron microscopy with osmium tetroxide. The myelin sheaths/axons were counted with the ImageJ software.
Results: Statistically significant differences in the number of myelin sheaths per 410 μm2 were found in the inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi between the left and right hemispheres of cows, with predominance of the right hemisphere; and in the inferior occipitofrontal fasciculus of the rabbit with predominance of the left hemisphere.
Conclusions: The use of animal models for experiments in the cerebral fasciculi, especially pig, could give us a greater understanding of the behaviour of demyelinating and neurodegenerative diseases in humans.

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Keywords

axons, cerebral fasciculi, histological analysis, myelin sheaths, white matter

About this article
Title

Axonal quantification of the white matter association fasciculi in cerebral hemispheres of cow (Bos taurus), pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Journal

Folia Morphologica

Issue

Vol 81, No 4 (2022)

Article type

Original article

Pages

874-883

Published online

2021-11-05

Page views

4427

Article views/downloads

613

DOI

10.5603/FM.a2021.0116

Pubmed

34750803

Bibliographic record

Folia Morphol 2022;81(4):874-883.

Keywords

axons
cerebral fasciculi
histological analysis
myelin sheaths
white matter

Authors

M. Guerrero
I. Romero
C. Sandoval
A. Gaibor-Pazmiño
A. Noroña
V. Zurita
M. del Sol
N. E. Ottone

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