Fig. 13.

Immunohistochemical study of α-SMA expression in the sham group and the epi-perineurium removal group. In the sham group, α-SMA was expressed only at vessel walls (black arrows). At 2 days after surgery, α-SMA was expressed in the endoneurium, especially around vessels (arrows) (B). At 7 days, α-SMA was expressed at the edge of the nerve fascicles (arrows) (C). At 20 days, α-SMA was expressed in the endoneurium but not in the perineurium (D). There was a significant difference in the percentage area expressing α-SMA in the endoneurium removal group at days 2, 7 and 20 compared with the sham group. At 42 days, α-SMA was expressed only at the vascular wall, and the expression patterns matched those observed for the sham group (E). (bar = 200 μm).