A method for visualizing axons and endplates throughout whole mounts of skeletal muscles using combined silver and cholinesterase stain.

A silver-cholinesterase stain is described which allows the visualization of the complete axonal tree, perineurial sheaths, motor nerve terminals and the cholinesterase at neuromuscular junctions throughout whole mounts of relatively thin muscles. The method is rapid, reliable and simple and allows the preservation of topographical information regarding both terminal and nodal sprouting in the whole muscle.