CIDP: Nerve morphology

H&E stain
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Endoneurium
Some regions are pale
Myelinated axons: Patchy loss
Perineurium: Thin & pale stained in regions

Gomori trichrome stain
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Onion bulbs, Small (Arrows)
Small & Varied sizes
Scattered in endoneurium

Gomori trichrome stain
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Myelinated axons: Patchy, severe loss
Onion bulbs, Small
Scattered in endoneurium

VvG stain
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CIDP
Myelinated axon loss
There are no large myelinated axons
Remaining small axons are hypomyelinated
Subperineurial edema: Narrow; Surrounds much of fascicle

Toluidine blue stain
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CIDP: Loss of the largest myelinated axons
Myelin containing MBP is mostly lost
With loss of large axons many non-myelinating Schwann cells express small amounts of MBP_

Neurofilaments (Green) + MBP (Red) stain
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Myelin Pathology
Onion bulbs
Myelin sheath: Thin

Thinly myelinated axons.
Axon loss.
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Thinly myelinated axons.
Axon loss: Patchy
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Onion bulbs: Small
|

Neurofilaments (Green) + NCAM (Red) stain
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Onion bulbs: Many small
Most axons, even intermediate sized ones, are surounded by NCAM-stained Schwann cells
NCAM normally surround only the smallest axons
Axon loss: The largest axons are completel lost

Neurofilaments (Green) + NCAM (Red) stain
|
Onion bulbs: Many small
Many axons are surrounded by P0 even though myelinated axons are mostly lost
Schwann cells in onion bulbs: Similar to Büngner band Schwann cells (Yellow) with co-staining for NCAM & P0

NCAM (Green) + P0 (Red) stain
|

Toluidine blue stain
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Onion bulbs
Surround some axons
Varied sizes
Some contain no axon
Most axons in onion bulbs are hypomyelinated (Thin myelin sheath)

Toluidine blue stain
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CIDP: Axon loss, Chronic: Schwann cells
Büngner band & Onion bulb Schwann cells (Yellow) co-stain for NCAM & P0
Normally unmyelinated axons (Green): Occur in small clusters

NCAM (Green) + P0 (Red) stain
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Subperineurial edema

H&E stain
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Subperineurial edema
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Toluidine blue stain
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Subperineurial edema: Mild
Onion bulbs
Endoneurial Microvessels: Mildly large

Toluidine blue stain
|
CIDP, Chronic: No inflammation

Acid phosphatase stain
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CIDP: Muscle

ATPase pH 9.4 stain
Type 1 muscle fiber predominance
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Active demyelination
4/16/2021