CUTANEOUS SENSORY NERVE FORMATIONS AS STUDIED WITH IMPREGNATION TECHNIQUES - NOTES ABOUT A SIMPLE AND RELIABLE METHOD

In spite of the modern immunocytochemical methods employed in the stud y of peripheral sensory nerve formations, silver impregnations are sti ll frequently used. This paper describes and discusses in detail a sim ple ''Cajal-type'' silver impregnation method suitable for the periphe ral and central nervous systems, which offers excellent results when u sed in the study of sensory nerve formations. Essential features are ( a) the use of a pretreatment solution containing sodium tartrate and p icric acid; Co) the short time needed for the whole impregnation proce ss; (c) its simplicity, and (d) the ability to show the axonal element s of sensory nerve formations and other very thin nerve fibres too dif ficult to be demonstrated with immunohistochemical methods. Taken toge ther, these properties allow this method to be included among the so-c alled ''routine methods.'' (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.