Schwann cell expression of an oligodendrocyte-like remyelinating pattern after ethidium bromide injection in the rat spinal cord.
Schwann cells are recognized by their capacity of producing single internodes of myelin around axons of the peripheral nervous system. In the ethidium bromide (EB) model of primary demyelination in the brainstem, it is observed the entry of Schwann cells into the central nervous system in order to contribute to the myelin repair performed by the oligodendrocytes that survived to the EB gliotoxic action, being able to even remyelinate more than one axon at the same time, in a pattern of repair similar to the oligodendroglial one. The present study was developed in the spinal cord to observe if Schwann cells maintained this competence of attending simultaneously different internodes. It was noted that, on the contrary of the brainstem, Schwann cells were the most important myelinogenic cells in the demyelinated site and, although rare, also presented the capacity of producing more than one internode of myelin in distinct axons.
Department of Immunopathology, University Paulista, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. bondan@uol.com.br
Eduardo Fernandes
EF
Bondan
Maria Anete
MA
Lallo
Maria de Fátima Monteiro
Mde F
Martins
Dominguita Luhers
DL
Graça
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004996:Ethidium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D004996:Ethidium