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Myelin abnormalities in mice deficient in galactocerebroside and sulfatide

  • Published:
Journal of Neurocytology

Abstract

Myelin sheath formation depends on appropriate axo-glial interactions that are mediated by myelin-specific surface molecules. In this study, we have used quantitative morphological analysis to determine the roles of the prominent myelin lipids galactocerebroside (GalC) and sulfatide in both central and peripheral myelin formation, exploiting mutant mice incapable of synthesizing these lipids. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in uncompacted myelin sheaths, the frequency of multiple cytoplasmic loops, redundant myelin profiles, and Schmidt-Lanterman incisures in the CNS of these mutant mice. In contrast, PNS myelin appeared structurally normal in these animals; however, at post-natal day 10, greater than 10% of the axons withered and pulled away from their myelin sheaths. These results indicate that GalC and sulfatide are critical to the formation of CNS myelin. In contrast, PNS myelin formation is not dependent on these lipids; however, GalC and sulfatide appear to be instrumental in maintaining Schwann cell-axon contact during a specific developmental window.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Center, USA

    Jeffrey L. Dupree, Timothy Coetzee, Kinuko Suzuki & Brian Popko

  2. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, USA

    Kinuko Suzuki

  3. Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, USA

    Brian Popko

  4. Program in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599

    Brian Popko

Authors
  1. Jeffrey L. Dupree
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  2. Timothy Coetzee
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  3. Kinuko Suzuki
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  4. Brian Popko
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Dupree, J.L., Coetzee, T., Suzuki, K. et al. Myelin abnormalities in mice deficient in galactocerebroside and sulfatide. J Neurocytol 27, 649–659 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006908013972

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