Fig 1.
Schematic view of amputation site and parameters analyzed.
(A) Representative amputation area of the rat limb and stump samples collected for analysis. (B) Schematic description of parameters analyzed.
Fig 2.
Specific NF staining of nerve regrowth and neuroma development observed in the tissue sections from day 3 until 90.
(A, B, C, D and E) Schematic figures representing an overview of structures location and representative images of axonal fascicles show larger and closer view (a, b, c, d and e with 4x magnification; ai, bi, ci, di and ei with 20x magnification, scale bar = 100μm) of structures throughout time.
Fig 3.
Axonal density of normal and degenerating axons observed in all time points.
Boxplot overlaid with sample distribution of axonal density of normal and degenerating axons. * Statistically significant differences (p≤0.05).
Fig 4.
Classification of histological characteristics of nerves in limb stumps after amputation.
Normal nerve (N0i: longitudinal and N0ii: transversal section), degenerating axons (N1), axonal sprouts (N2i: at the end of damaged fascicles, arrows show elongated structures corresponding to axonal fibers and N2ii: at distal area, arrows show isolated axons appearing as donut ring-like structures), unorganized axons bundled in connective tissue (N3), unorganized axon ramifications in muscle (N4), neuroma—highly unorganized axons in tissue (N5). Scale bar = 100μm.
Fig 5.
Prevalence of morphological characteristics in rat limb stump tissue analyzed at each time point.
Error bars represent confidence interval of 95%.