Objective: To investigate the quantity and distribution of motor fiber of rat's C7 nerve root.
Methods: Motor fiber quantity and section area in the main nerves of the upper extremity and the fascicles of C7 in 30 SD rats were analyzed.
Results: Fascicles and certain amount (207) of motor fibers from the anterior division of C7 were distributed to musculocutaneous nerve and median nerve, the orientation of these fibers were not clear. The ones (323) from posterior division were to the axillary, radial, and dorsal thoracic nerves, thus the orientation of these fascicles was relatively definite.
Conclusion: The distribution of the motor fibers and fascicles in the divisions of C7 in rat is similar to human beings, so rat is a relatively good model for the study of selective C7 nerve root transfer.