Biomaterial Database

Macrophage function during Wallerian degeneration of rat optic nerve: clearance of degenerating myelin and Ia expression. 1989

G Stoll, and B D Trapp, and J W Griffin

Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.

This study examined Wallerian degeneration (WD) of rat optic nerve (ON) with 2 goals: to determine which cell types are involved in myelin degradation and clearance and to evaluate the extent to which Ia antigen, a product of the immune response genes, is expressed. We examined immunostained 1-micron and ultrathin cryosections of rat ON at 1, 8, and 16 weeks after nerve transection. Serial 1-micron cryosections were stained with monoclonal antibodies to rat Ia antigen (Ox6) and with antibodies that identify astrocytes (GFAP) and monocytes/macrophages (ED1). In normal ON, ED1-positive cells were not found. A few ED1-positive monocytes/macrophages were present in the transected ON at one week. Macrophages were prominent throughout the ON at 8 weeks; by 16 weeks their number was decreasing. These cells contained myelin debris in various stages of digestion. GFAP-positive astrocytes did not contain myelin debris in their cytoplasm. At all 3 times a subpopulation of the ED1-positive monocytes/macrophages expressed Ia antigen. Ia antigen was not detected in endothelial cells or GFAP-positive astrocytes. In ultrathin cryosections stained by immunogold procedures, Ia immunoreactivity was found exclusively in cells containing multiple vacuoles and myelin debris and lacking intermediate filaments. The same cell type was labeled by ED1 antibodies. Our results indicate that macrophages remove the vast majority of debris during Wallerian degeneration in the CNS; a proportion of these macrophages concomitantly express Ia antigen. These results suggest that the Ia expression by macrophages observed in other CNS disorders does not necessarily reflect specific local immune events, but in some instances can represent a nonspecific response to CNS damage.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D008264	Macrophages	The relatively long-lived phagocytic cell of mammalian tissues that are derived from blood MONOCYTES. Main types are PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES; ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES; HISTIOCYTES; KUPFFER CELLS of the liver; and OSTEOCLASTS. They may further differentiate within chronic inflammatory lesions to EPITHELIOID CELLS or may fuse to form FOREIGN BODY GIANT CELLS or LANGHANS GIANT CELLS. (from The Dictionary of Cell Biology, Lackie and Dow, 3rd ed.)	Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophages,Macrophage,Macrophages, Monocyte-Derived,Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages,Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophage,Macrophage, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophage, Monocyte-Derived,Macrophages, Bone Marrow-Derived,Macrophages, Monocyte Derived,Monocyte Derived Macrophages,Monocyte-Derived Macrophage
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009186	Myelin Sheath	The lipid-rich sheath surrounding AXONS in both the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS and PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. The myelin sheath is an electrical insulator and allows faster and more energetically efficient conduction of impulses. The sheath is formed by the cell membranes of glial cells (SCHWANN CELLS in the peripheral and OLIGODENDROGLIA in the central nervous system). Deterioration of the sheath in DEMYELINATING DISEASES is a serious clinical problem.	Myelin,Myelin Sheaths,Sheath, Myelin,Sheaths, Myelin
D009410	Nerve Degeneration	Loss of functional activity and trophic degeneration of nerve axons and their terminal arborizations following the destruction of their cells of origin or interruption of their continuity with these cells. The pathology is characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases. Often the process of nerve degeneration is studied in research on neuroanatomical localization and correlation of the neurophysiology of neural pathways.	Neuron Degeneration,Degeneration, Nerve,Degeneration, Neuron,Degenerations, Nerve,Degenerations, Neuron,Nerve Degenerations,Neuron Degenerations
D009900	Optic Nerve	The 2nd cranial nerve which conveys visual information from the RETINA to the brain. The nerve carries the axons of the RETINAL GANGLION CELLS which sort at the OPTIC CHIASM and continue via the OPTIC TRACTS to the brain. The largest projection is to the lateral geniculate nuclei; other targets include the SUPERIOR COLLICULI and the SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEI. Though known as the second cranial nerve, it is considered part of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Cranial Nerve II,Second Cranial Nerve,Nervus Opticus,Cranial Nerve, Second,Cranial Nerves, Second,Nerve, Optic,Nerve, Second Cranial,Nerves, Optic,Nerves, Second Cranial,Optic Nerves,Second Cranial Nerves
D011917	Rats, Inbred Lew	An inbred strain of rat that is used in BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH.	Rats, Inbred Lewis,Rats, Lew,Inbred Lew Rat,Inbred Lew Rats,Inbred Lewis Rats,Lew Rat,Lew Rat, Inbred,Lew Rats,Lew Rats, Inbred,Lewis Rats, Inbred,Rat, Inbred Lew,Rat, Lew
D005260	Female		Females
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000949	Histocompatibility Antigens Class II	Large, transmembrane, non-covalently linked glycoproteins (alpha and beta). Both chains can be polymorphic although there is more structural variation in the beta chains. The class II antigens in humans are called HLA-D ANTIGENS and are coded by a gene on chromosome 6. In mice, two genes named IA and IE on chromosome 17 code for the H-2 antigens. The antigens are found on B-lymphocytes, macrophages, epidermal cells, and sperm and are thought to mediate the competence of and cellular cooperation in the immune response. The term IA antigens used to refer only to the proteins encoded by the IA genes in the mouse, but is now used as a generic term for any class II histocompatibility antigen.	Antigens, Immune Response,Class II Antigens,Class II Histocompatibility Antigen,Class II Major Histocompatibility Antigen,Ia Antigens,Ia-Like Antigen,Ia-Like Antigens,Immune Response Antigens,Immune-Associated Antigens,Immune-Response-Associated Antigens,MHC Class II Molecule,MHC II Peptide,Class II Antigen,Class II Histocompatibility Antigens,Class II MHC Proteins,Class II Major Histocompatibility Antigens,Class II Major Histocompatibility Molecules,I-A Antigen,I-A-Antigen,IA Antigen,MHC Class II Molecules,MHC II Peptides,MHC-II Molecules,Antigen, Class II,Antigen, I-A,Antigen, IA,Antigen, Ia-Like,Antigens, Class II,Antigens, Ia,Antigens, Ia-Like,Antigens, Immune-Associated,Antigens, Immune-Response-Associated,I A Antigen,II Peptide, MHC,Ia Like Antigen,Ia Like Antigens,Immune Associated Antigens,Immune Response Associated Antigens,MHC II Molecules,Molecules, MHC-II,Peptide, MHC II,Peptides, MHC II