Morphofunctional characteristics of neurons in the spinal ganglia of the dog in the post-distraction period.

The aims of the present work were to study the morphofunctional state of neurons in the spinal ganglia and to perform a comparative analysis of changes in neuron-glial relationships after lengthening of the hindlimb of mongrel dogs by 14-16% of initial at different rates. Longitudinal serial sections of thickness 5 microm of the L6, L7, and S1 ganglia (n = 36) stained with thionine and cresyl violet by the Nissl method and hallocyanine and chromic alum by the Einarson method were examined. Reversible transformations of the structure of some neurons were seen at 45-48 days, these consisting of hyperchromia of the cytoplasm and nucleus, peripheral chromatolysis, displacement of the nucleolus, and increases in the quantities of perineuronal and interneuronal gliocytes. Changes were most marked in the ganglia on the side of limb lengthening at a rate of 3 mm/day, while the smallest changes were seen on the side contralateral to limb lengthening at a rate of 1 mm/day.