DIC imaging for identification of motor and sensory nerves

Identification of motor and sensory nerves is important in applications such as nerve injury repair. Conventional practice relies on time consuming staining methods for this purpose. Here, we use laser scanning infrared differential interference contrast (IR-DIC) microscopy for label-free observation of the two types of nerve. Ventral and dorsal nerve roots of adult beagle dogs were collected and sections of different thicknesses were imaged with an IR-DIC microscope. Different texture patterns of the IR-DIC images of the motor and sensory nerve can be distinguished when the section thickness increases to 40 μ m. This suggests that nerve fibers in motor and sensory nerves have different distribution patterns. The result hints a potential new way for more rapid identification of nerve type in peripheral nerve repair surgery.