Application of DiI Dye on Peripheral Nerve Tracing in Rats

Objective: To explore the tracing properties of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbo-cyanine perchlorate (Dil) in peripheral nerves in vivo. Methods. Solution of Dil in ethanol was used to do the bidirectional tracing of the median nerve. The diffusion and leakage of Dil in nerve trunk was investigated in frozen slices. Results It was better to investigate slices directly under low light intensity. The anterograde diffusion rate of Dil in nerve trunk is as same as that of retrograde, whereas the diffusion rates recorded the different time period are variable. The diffusion of Dil in nerve trunk has axonal specificity without leaking. Conclusions: With the specificity on labeling axons, Dil can be applied as an efficient bidirectional fluorescence axon tracer which is suit to trace the bundles of peripheral nerves in vivo.