title: Models of multiple sclerosis: new insights into pathophysiology and repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Experimental models are indispensable in multiple sclerosis research aimed to elucidate the pathogenesis of the disease or to test new therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this review is to discuss the relevance of different models for multiple sclerosis and new insights into pathophysiology of the disease obtained from experimental studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These studies show that tissue damage in the course of brain inflammation is induced by a variety of different components of the immune system, including T cells, autoantibodies and activated effector cells, such as macrophages and microglia. In general, different mechanisms of tissue injury act in parallel and are partly counteracted by the induction of neuroprotective factors and spontaneous regenerative processes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite this complexity, experimental studies identified bottlenecks in the destructive process, which can be targeted by therapeutic strategies. To what extent these results can be transferred into therapy of multiple sclerosis has to be shown in the future.
authors.affiliation: Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. hans.lassmann@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lassmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005609:Free Radicals