1. The role of TNF-alpha during Wallerian degeneration
- Author
-
T. Sachse, George Kollias, H. Siebert, M. Liefner, W. Brück, and Uwe Michel
- Subjects
Wallerian degeneration ,Phagocytosis ,Immunology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Myelin ,Leukocyte Count ,Mice ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Deficient mouse ,Immunology and Allergy ,Animals ,Axon ,Myelin Sheath ,030304 developmental biology ,Mice, Knockout ,0303 health sciences ,Chemistry ,Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ,Macrophages ,Chemotaxis ,Macrophage Activation ,medicine.disease ,Neuroregeneration ,Sciatic Nerve ,Cell biology ,Mice, Inbred C57BL ,Microscopy, Electron ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,nervous system ,Neurology ,Neurology (clinical) ,Sciatic nerve ,Wallerian Degeneration ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
The role of TNF-alpha in the course of Wallerian degeneration of the sciatic nerve was studied in control and TNF-alpha deficient mice. In control animals, the characteristic phenomena of Wallerian degeneration such as axon and myelin degeneration as well as macrophage recruitment with subsequent myelin removal were observed. In TNF-alpha deficient mice, in contrast, macrophage recruitment into the degenerating nerves was impaired resulting in a delayed myelin removal. However, the myelin phagocytic capacity of macrophages was not affected as it could be demonstrated by a similar myelin load of control and TNF-alpha deficient macrophages. These data indicate that the main function of TNF-alpha during Wallerian degeneration is the induction of macrophage recruitment from the periphery without affecting myelin damage or phagocytosis.
- Published
- 2000