The node of Ranvier in early Wallerian degeneration: a freeze-fracture study.

Using the freeze-fracture technique, the sciatic nerve of the rat and rabbit was examined distally at 24 h after crush, with particular reference to the node of Ranvier and paranode. The paranodes, in the majority of myelinated fibres, showed a loss of the cytoplasmic circumferential bands and longitudinal columns and their associated membrane pores which characterise the normal Schwann cell surface. Axonal changes consisting of accumulations of axoplasmic organelles occurred at both the node and paranode. At the nodes large intramembraneous particles in the axolemma (E face) appeared unchanged. Nodal Schwann cell microvilli and paranodal myelin terminal loops were generally unaffected. The findings are discussed in terms of the decrease in amplitude of the action potential which occurs in early Wallerian degeneration.