Renaut Bodies ¹

Patterns   Confluent   Internal   Typical Renaut illustration

Reference 2

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Renaut bodies: Features

• Frequency
  • 2% of nerve biopsies
  • Increased age: Possibly more frequent
• Structure
  • Shape: Round, Elliptical (Flattened) or Elongated (Along length of nerve)
  • Internal: Whorled
  • Contents
    • Cell: Fibroblasts, often with long processes; "Spider-like" (cellules godronées)
    • Other: Mucopolysaccharides; Collagen; Elastin
  • Edge: May be bounded by fibroblast process
  • Size: 20 to 130 μM
• Location
  • General: At sites of nerve compression
  • Intraneural: Endoneurial
    • Usual: Subperineurial
    • Internal: Internal within endomysium
• Often multiple: In several fascicles in nerve
  • Usual: All in similar region of different fascicles
  • Atypical: Confluent
  • May be 1, or several, in individual fascicles
• Stains: Alcian blue; Gomori trichrome; ± EMA
• Associated vessels: May have thick wall
• Possible cause: Chronic nerve compression

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Renaut Bodies: Typical

Gomori trichrome stain

Renaut Bodies
  Rounded
  Subperineurial
  Present in several fascicles
  All located in similar endoneurial regions

Toluidine blue stain

VvG stain

Renaut Bodies: Rounded; Filamentous layers

Gomori trichrome stain

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H&E stain

Renaut Bodies: Contain cells & Variably stained extracellular matrix

H&E stain

Gomori trichrome stain

Renaut Bodies: Contain cells & Variably stained extracellular matrix

Gomori trichrome stain

VvG stain

Renaut Body
  Rounded
  Filamentous layers
  Rounded sub-structures
  Cells, Scattered

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Toluidine blue stain

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Alcian blue stain

Renaut Bodies: Contain mucopolysaccharides (Alcian blue positive)

Alcian blue stain

Alcian blue stain

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Renaut Bodies: Confluent

Toluidine blue stain

Renaut bodies, confluent
  Multiple pale rounded regions
  Probable area of chronic nerve damage

Toluidine blue stain

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Toluidine blue stain

Renaut Body
  Rounded
  Filamentous layers: Variable structure
  Rounded sub-structures
  Cells, Scattered

Toluidine blue stain

Toluidine blue stain

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Alcian blue stain

Alcian blue stain

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Renaut Bodies: Internal

H&E stain

Renaut Bodies: Internal
  Within endoneurium
  Shape: Irregular
  Contain occasional axon

Gomori trichrome stain

Congo red stain

Gomori trichrome stain

Renaut Bodies: Internal
  Within endoneurium
  Shape: Irregular
  Contain: Irregular extracellular material; Cells; Occasional axon

Congo red stain

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Renaut Bodies: Contain mucopolysaccharides (Alcian blue positive)

Alcian blue stain

Renaut Bodies: Contain mucopolysaccharides (Alcian blue positive)

Alcian blue stain

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Renaut body: Renaut illustration

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Pacinian corpuscle: Epineurial

H&E stain

gomori Trichrome stain

VvG stain

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References
1. Can J Neurol Sci 2017;44:184-189, J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 1973;32:334-343
2. Renaut J. Système hyalin de soutènement des centres nerveux et de quelques organes des sens. Arch Physiol Normale et Pathologique (Paris). 1881;8:846-59.

3/25/2017