Proliferation of Schwann cells induced by axolemmal and myelin membranes

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5804852

Dinneen, M

Purified Schwann Cells were cultured from neonatal rat sciatic nerve using a modification of the method of Brockes. Schwann cells and contaminating fibroblasts were unambiguously identified using fluorescent antibodies of 2'3' cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase and the thy 1.1 antigen respectively. The Schwann cells were quiescent unless challenged with mitogens. They proliferated rapidly in response to the soluble mitogen, cholera toxin, or to membrane fractions from rat CNS or PNS, prepared by the method of DeVries. Mitogenic activity was present in both axolemmal and myelin enriched fractions and promoted a 10-15 fold increase in the rate of /sup 3/H-thymidine uptake. The axolemmal mitogen was sensitive to heat (80/sup 0/C for 10 minutes), trypsin digestion (0.05% x 30 mins) or to treatment with endoglycosidase D, suggesting that it could be a glycoprotein. Fifty percent of the axolemmal mitogenic activity was solubilized in 1% octyl-glucoside. The solubilized material, however, was very unstable and further purification was not possible. The myelin associated mitogenic activity was markedly different. It was resistant to freeze thaw cycles, trypsin digestion of endoglycosidase treatment and the activity was actually enhanced by heating at 100/sup 0/C for two hours. It is proposed that the axolemmal activity is responsible for Schwann cell proliferation during development and that the myelin associated activity promotes Schwann cell proliferation during Wallerian degeneration.

• Research Organization: Virginia Commonwealth Univ., Richmond (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5804852
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201 -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
560301* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Cells-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTIBODIES
ANTIGENS
AZINES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL MEMBRANES
CELL PROLIFERATION
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
FIBROBLASTS
FLUORESCENCE
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LUMINESCENCE
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MEMBRANES
MITOGENS
MYELIN
NERVE CELLS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRIMIDINES
RATS
RIBOSIDES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
THYMIDINE
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXINS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES