Antesera to the ganglioside GM 1 do not have anti-myelin or anti-axon activities in vitro

Abstract

Four antisera to the ganglioside GM 1 were tested effects on myelin and axons when applied to mouse spinal cord-dorsal root ganglia explant cultures. None of the antisera to GM 1 caused myelination inhibition or demyelination, while an antiserum tto galactocerebroside caused both. Antisera to GM 1 did not axonal outgrowth or destroy mature outgrowth zone axons, while an anteserum to a rat brain axolemma-enriched fraction did both. These results suggest that antibodies to GM 1 do not have significant anti-myelin or anti-axon activity.