Experimental organic mercury poisoning—Regeneration of peripheral nerves

Rats were given 1 mg of organic mercury compound per rat daily by mouth for 20 days. Peripheral nerves were examined on the 7th day and 250 th day after withdrawal of administration. On the 7th day, mitosis of Schwann cells was observed and on the 250 th day, myelinated fibres were noticeably decreased in numbers, with regeneration of nerve fibres and an increase of collagen in the intercellular spaces. Posterior nerve root ganglion cells were however intact. From this it is speculated that regeneration of injured peripheral nerve fibres, experimentally poisoned with organic mercury, is the result of regeneration of axons growing out to the periphery, and by regeneration of Schwann cells. Regeneration of the peripheral nerves was not however a very marked feature.