In Vivo Single-Fiber Recording of Sciatic Nerve C-Fibers in Rats

Take an anesthetized rat and make an incision on its thigh to expose the sciatic nerve, a peripheral nerve providing sensory and motor supply to the lower limbs.

Apply a physiological solution to keep the exposed tissue moistened.

Suture the incised skin to a metal hoop, creating a chamber for electrophysiological measurements.

Place a platform under the nerve to enhance the visibility of the nerve. Apply liquid paraffin to prevent the nerve from drying.

Place a reference electrode subcutaneously to establish a baseline electrical activity.

Remove the membranous nerve covering to expose the C-fibers. Suspend a single fiber over a recording electrode.

Apply mechanical and thermal stimuli to the foot and observe the fiber's response to both, confirming it as a polymodal C-fiber.

Implant stimulus electrodes on the foot for targeted single-fiber stimulation.

The stimulation generates action potentials that travel along the fiber and are monitored by the recording electrode.