A STEREOLOGICAL STUDY OF DORSAL-ROOT GANGLION-CELLS AND NERVE ROOT FIBERS FROM RATS TREATED WITH INORGANIC MERCURY

Unbiased stereological methods have been used to quantify the effects of inorganic mercury on the morphology of the fifth lumbar dorsal root ganglion cells and nerve mot fibers. Adult male Wistar rats were trea ted with intraperitoneal injections of mercuric chloride (0.15 mg dail y) for 30 days. The total numbers and mean volumes of A-and B-cell per ikarya were estimated using the optical fractionator and the vertical rotator techniques. The total numbers of myelinated axons in the ventr al and the dorsal roots were estimated with the two-dimensional fracti onator technique and the areas of axon and myelin were estimated using the two-dimensional nucleator technique. No differences were found fo r any parameters in experimental and control animals, indicating that inorganic mercury intoxication alters neither the numbers or sizes of dorsal root ganglion cells and nerve root fibers nor the amount of mye lin associated with the nerve fibers.