Article Text
Original Articles
Differential Tolerance of Mammalian Myelinated and Unmyelinated Nerve Fibers to Oxygen Lack
Abstract
Ischemic neuropathy has a well-recognized but unexplained tendency to spare unmyelinated (C) fibers such as those that subserve pain. We investigated whether low energy requirement plays a part in this selectivity, by comparing the abilities of Aβ, Aδ, and C fibers in cervical vagus nerve of rabbit at 38°C to maintain excitability in the presence of severe hypoxia. We found that, given enough glucose, many C fibers and some Aδ fibers, but not Aβ fibers, can withstand complete anoxia for an apparently unlimited period.
- Anoxia
- Block
- differential
- Membranes
- Metabolism
- Myelinated fibers
- Nerve
- Pain
- Unmyelinated fibers