The onset and rate of myelination in six peripheral and autonomic nerves of the rat.

A light and electron microscopic study was carried out of the numbers of myelinated fibres in 6 nerves of the rat for 7 age groups from birth to 73 weeks. The hypoglossal nerve and the mandibular branch of the facial nerve had short and early myelination periods, essentially complete by the second week. The glossopharyngeal nerve and the sympathetic rami communicantes myelinated late and over a protracted period. Myelination of the rami communicantes continued up to 20 weeks, followed by a marked loss of fibres in the 73 week animals. Intercostal and saphenous nerves had intermediary patterns. There was evidence of subpopulations myelinating at different times. Measurements of myelin sheath thickness showed variations of relative sheath thickness with age, between nerves and for subpopulations of nerves. Late myelination corresponded to relatively thin myelin sheaths. Statistical two-stage-density cluster analysis by computer was used for analysing complex fibre populations. The developmental changes of three subpopulations of the intercostal nerve are documented. Nerves also differed in their rates of axon growth. The increment in axon calibre was small and late for sympathetic fibres. Intercostal and facial nerve fibres had rapid axon growth with different growth rates for subpopulations.