Nano-scale Biophysical and Structural Investigations on Intact and Neuropathic Nerve Fibers by Simultaneous Combination of Atomic Force and Confocal Microscopy.

ABSTRACT: The links between neuropathies of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), including Charcot-Marie-Tooth1A and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies, and impaired biomechanical and structural integrity of PNS nerves remain poorly understood despite the medical urgency. Here, we present a protocol describing simultaneous structural and biomechanical integrity investigations on isolated nerve fibers, the building blocks of nerves. Nerve fibers are prepared from nerves harvested from wild-type and exemplary PNS neuropathy mouse models. The basic principle of the designed experimental approach is based on the simultaneous combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confocal microscopy. AFM is used to visualize the surface structure of nerve fibers at nano-scale resolution.

SUBMITTER: Rosso G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5582161 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature