Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility for analyzing and differentiating between motor and sensory functions of peripheral nerve axons using spectral technology.
Methods: 10 μm slide section of S1 anterior and posterior rabbit spinal nerve roots were made and then stained with Karnovsky-Roots method for molecular hyperspectral imaging microscopy analysis. In addition, Raman spectra data of nerve axons on each slide was collected after Karnovsky-Roots staining for 30 minutes.
Results: Motor axons were differentiated from sensory axons in a nerve axon section hyperspectral image via Spectral angle mapper algorithm. Raman scatterings could be detected near 2110 cm(-1), and 2155 cm(-1) in motor axons after Karnvosky-Roots staining. The value of I2100/I1440 in motor axons are significantly different (P0.001) than in sensory axons after staining for 30 minutes.
Conclusions: Motor and sensory nerve axons can be differentiated from their counterparts in 30 minutes by using Raman micro-spectroscopy analysis assisted with Karnovsky-Roots staining.
Keywords: Peripheral nerve; Raman spectroscopy; molecular hyperspectral imaging.