Ultracytochemical demonstration of ouabain-sensitive, K(+)-dependent, p-nitrophenylphosphatase (Na-K ATPase) activity in cat facial nerve

Freeze-fracture and cytochemical evidence for structural and functional alteration in the axolemma and myelin sheath of adult guinea pig optic nerve fibers after stretch injury

Recent work in animal models of human diffuse axonal injury has generated the hypothesis that, rather than there being physical disruption of the axolemma at the time of injury, a pertubation of the membrane occurs, which leads, over time, to a dysfunction of the physiology of the axolemmal. This dysfunction is posited to lead to a disruption of ionic homeostasis within the injured axon, leading to secondary axotomy some hours after the initial insult. We decided to test the hypothesis that membrane pump/ion channel activity or function is compromised and this would be reflected in structural changes within the axolemma and myelin sheath. We used freeze fracture and cytochemical techniques to provide evidence for change in membrane structure and the activity of membrane pumps after nondisruptive axonal injury in the adult guinea pig optic nerve. Within 10 min of injury, structural changes occurred in the distribution and number of intramembranous particles (IMPs) in the internodal axolemma. By 4 h, there was novel labeling for Ca-ATPase membrane pump activity at the same site. There was loss of IMPs from the nodal axolemma extending over several hours after injury. There was loss of both membrane pump Ca-ATPase and p-nitro-phenylphosphatase (p-NPPase) activity of the node. There was loss of ecto-Ca-ATPase activity but increased labeling for p-NPPase activity at sites of dissociation of compacted myelin. Quantitative freeze-fracture demonstrated statistically significant changes in membrane structure. We provide support for the hypothesis that structural and functional changes occur in the axolemma and myelin sheath at nondisruptive axonal injury.

Cytochemical localization of ouabain-sensitive, K(+)-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity in the facial nerve of reserpinized guinea pigs

Ion-transporting Na,K-ATPase plays an essential role in nerve conduction. To clarify the cytochemical effects of reserpine on transport Na,K-ATPase activity, the localization of ouabain-sensitive, K(+)-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase (K-NPPase) activity was investigated in the facial nerves of normal and reserpinized guinea pigs using a cerium-based method. In the normal facial nerve, the reaction product of K-NPPase activity was observed on the internodal axolemma and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures. In the Ranvier nodes, enzyme activity was localized to the paranodal and nodal axolemma. In the reserpinized nerves, reaction product was detectable on the nodal axolemma but was undetectable on the other parts of the axolemma. Nodal K-NPPase was not affected by reserpine treatment. Therefore, the transport Na,K-ATPase on the nodal axolemma might differ from that on the other parts of the axolemma. Allowing reserpinized animals to survive. Two different ouabain-sensitive K-NPPase reactivities, "reserpine-sensitive" and "reserpine-resistant," might be present in the facial nerve of guinea pigs.

Impaired Ranvier node sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase may induce facial palsy

To clarify the part of the neuron essential for myelinated nerve conduction, the cytochemical localization of potassium ion (K+)-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase (K-NPPase) activity was investigated in the normal and reserpine-treated facial nerve of guinea pigs. In the normal animals, K-NPPase activity was localized to the internodal axolemma and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures. In the Ranvier nodes, enzyme activity was observed along the paranodal and nodal axolemma. In reserpinized nerves, K-NPPase activity was absent along the internodal axolemma and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures. In the Ranvier nodes, however, enzyme activity was detectable only in the nodal axolemma. The reserpinized animals demonstrated no evidence of facial palsy. Because K-NPPase is essential for nerve conduction, these results indicate that the location of enzyme activity in reserpinized animals, namely the nodal axolemma, may be of prime importance in saltatory nerve conduction.