Changes of myelin proteins during Wallerian degeneration in situ and in millipore diffusion chambers preventing active phagocytosis.

Changes of myelin proteins in mouse sciatic nerves were studied comparing nerves degenerating in situ with nerves enclosed in millipore diffusion chambers which eliminate invasion of non-resident cells. Nerves kept in chambers showed nearly complete preservation of myelin sheaths with a very slow degradation of myelin proteins. Nerves degenerating in situ showed rapid myelin phagocytosis by macrophages with almost complete disappearance of myelin proteins after 28 days. These data elucidate the role of macrophages for removal of myelin proteins.