Tiam Mana Saffari

62 CHAPTER 3 Immunohistochemistry To assess the effect of the SIEF flap on nerve allograft samples, nerve samples were stained for H&E and anti-CD34. Results of H&E staining in cross-sections of the nerve showed no infiltration of inflammatory cells in either group at 12 weeks. As can be concluded from the H&E staining, no fibrosis was seen. In the SIEF group, an increase in vessels and Schwann cell nuclei was evident in the H&E stained samples. This increase in vessels was consistent with the notable increase of CD34-positive microvessels in nerve grafts that were surgically revascularized at 12 weeks compared to unoperated nerve samples (Figure 7). Figure 7. Immunohistochemical digital photographs of nerve samples. Representative images of H&E staining in control (contralateral unoperated nerve) and SIEF (vascularized flap wrapped around the processed nerve allograft) samples at 12 weeks. Purple nuclei denote the Schwann cell nuclei. Digital photographs were taken at 40x magnification. Scale bars, 200 µm.