Longitudinal movement of radioiodinated albumin within extravascular spaces of peripheral nerves following three systems of experimental trauma.

Radioiodinated serum albumin leaks with ease into the endoneurial spaces of chicken nerves following experimental lesions (Mellick and Cavanagh, 1967a).The subsequent fate of this protein is, at the moment, ill understood, particularly since there are no lymphatics in the endoneurial space (Zupnik, 1905;Defrise, 1930).This report is concerned with observations on the longitudinal movement of the leaked protein along the endoneurial spaces and is offered as an introduction to the larger problems of endoneurial flow and the functions of the perineurium that will be discussed more fully in another communication (Mellick and Cavanagh, 1967b). RADIOISOTOPES USED AND METHOD OF ESTIMATING RADIO-ACTIVITY lodinated (1311) albumin, sterile and pyrogen free, was obtained from the Radiochemical Centre, Amersham.Doses of between 50 jc.and 150 uc. were administered intravenously and estimations of radio- activity in the specimens of nerve performed after 458Protected by copyright.