Renaut bodies are cylindrical, hyaline-appearing, loosely-textured, whorled, cell-sparse structures found in the subperincurial space in peripheral nerves of man and animals. In an ultrastructural study of three human sural nerve biopsies, Renaut bodies were found to be composed of randomly-oriented collagen fibers, fine fibrils, and attenuated, spider-like fibroblasts. Histochemical stains were negative except for Alcian blue. Renaut bodies were well known to histologists of the late nineteenth century, but have gradually been forgotten. Their significance is uncertain because they have been observed in nerves without other structural abnormality as well as in neuropathic disease states. It is important to recognize Renaut bodies and be aware of their banal nature in order to avoid assigning them an unwarranted significance.