Peripheral Nerve, Wallerian degeneration

Details
Gender
Age
75 years
Organ System/Discipline
Diagnosis
Wallerian degeneration
Clinical History

Peripheral nerve biopsy from a 75-year old woman.

Case Discussion

The Electron Microscopy (EM) image shows two axons undergoing Wallerian degeneration at different stages. Wallerian degeneration can be defined as a sequence of axon and myelin degeneration. It involves antegrade degeneration of the axons and their accompanying myelin sheaths, following lesions in either the proximal axon or the neuronal cell body. The causal injuries could include focal demyelination, cerebral infarction and trauma.

Image Contributors
Yoon, J., Munoz, D.

Cite

Yoon, J., Munoz, D. Peripheral Nerve, Wallerian degeneration. Digital Laboratory Medicine Library, Dept of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto. Published . Accessed December 17, 2025. https://dev.dlml.cflabs.ca/image/peripheral-nerve-wallerian-degeneration-lmp45021