Absence of large-diameter sensory fibres in a nerve to the cat humerus

A fine branch of the median nerve innervates the periosteum and medullary cavity of the cat humerus. After branching to innervate the periosteum on the medial surface of the humerus, the nerve enters and supplies the medullary cavity via a nutrient foramen, accompanied by a small artery and vein. The composition of the fibres in the nerve was examined using electron microscopy. Myelinated fibres with diameters of 0.8–6.6 µm and unmyelinated fibres with diameters of 0.1–1.4 µm were observed. These diameters indicate that afferent fibres of this nerve are confined within the Group III and IV categories, and may therefore be nociceptive or mechanoreceptive in function. In addition, autonomic efferent fibres may also be present in these fibre groups. As no fibre diameters greater than 7 µm were noted, it appears that Group I and II fibres are absent in this nerve. The fibre distribution suggests that the principal role of this nerve is to relay bone-related nociceptive or mechanoreceptive information to the central nervous system and to provide autonomic regulatory influences on the bone.