The Peripheral Theory of Nerve Regeneration with Special Reference to Peripheral Neuritis

nerve fibres growing downwards into the peripheral segment, either as (i) the result of the original nerve fibres themselves growing downwards, or (2) the result of the parent axiscylinders dividing into a number of young axis-cylinders, probably, it was thought, at the first node of Ranvier above the part of the nerve fibre damaged by the lesion (Strcebe). In the latter case the young axis-cylinders passed downwards inside the old parent neurilemma sheaths. The difficulty as to the development of new neurilemma sheaths for these fibres was overcome by the suggestion that the existing neurilemma nuclei, which had in the degenerative stage proliferated, might supply neurilemma sheaths for the new fibres.