X-Ray Analysis of the Structure of Peripheral Nerve Myelin

Abstract

THE low-angle diffraction pattern of fresh sciatic nerve of frog takes a relatively simple form, showing only six equatorial reflexions, five of which can be accounted for as successive orders of diffraction from a radially oriented fundamental structural unit measuring 171 A.^1,2. These five reflexions display striking variations in intensities as indicated in Fig. 1a, and from this intensity data a Patterson distribution (variation of P = F ² ₍₀₀₁₎cos 2π lz) along a line in the radial direction in the sheath has been calculated (Fig. 1a).