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Sequence of tissue responses in the early stages of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE): Immunohistochemical, light microscopic, and ultrastructural observations in the spinal cord
Author(s) -
D'Amelio Fernando E.,
Smith Marion E.,
Eng Lawrence F.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.440030402
Subject(s) - encephalomyelitis , neuropil , biology , pathology , spinal cord , myelin , microglia , neuroglia , ultrastructure , multiple sclerosis , central nervous system , immunology , neuroscience , anatomy , inflammation , medicine
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in adult Lewis rats with purified guinea pig CNS myelin and Freund' adjuvant. As soon as the very earliest clinical signs appeared the animals were perfused with fixatives and the spinal cord analyzed by electron microscopy, silver methods, and immunocytochemistry. Our findings suggest that in the early stages of EAE a sequence of events can be traced, although these events frequently overlap. The earliest morphological change appears to be astrocytic edema in both the cell body and processes. Increased amounts of glycogen particles and dispersion of glial filaments are prominent. These changes seem to occur just prior to the time when inflammatory cells begin to penetrate the capillary walls. Invasion of the neuropil mainly by macrophages and lymphocytes closely follows. Both macrophages and microglia seem to participate in phagocytosis of oligodendrocytes and myelin. Demyelination, however, is not a prominent feature at this early stage.