Synonyms
Femoral Nerve
Neuroanatomy of peripheral nerves
The outer (peripheral) nerve fiber is surrounded by an endoneural sheath. This consists of longitudinal collagen fibrils and the basal membrane. The fibers with their sheaths are embedded in loose connective tissue (endoneurium).
Several nerve fibers are bundled and surrounded by another sheath structure of connective tissue (perineurium) and thus combined into bundles or fascicles. This layer is reinforced in the area of the joints for mechanical protection. A further layer of connective tissue, the so-called epineurium, surrounds the perineurium.
In this layer are the arteries, veins, lymphatic vessels and nerves supplying the nerve, and fat cells are also embedded. A layer of cells (endothelial cells) lies between the individual connective tissue layers, which ensure that the nerve remains mobile. The mechanical load capacity results from the content of circularly arranged elastic fibers.
Peripheral nerves contain four different types of fibers. For striated muscles, it contains somatomotor fibers, somatosensory fibers for skin sensitivity, visceral fibers for smooth organ muscles and visceral fibers for internal organs.
