P1 deficiency in shiverer myelin is expressed by Schwann cells in shiverer ↔ normal mouse chimaera nerves

Abstract

The myelin basic protein (P1) deficiency in shiverer myelin is expressed in shiverer ↔ normal mouse chimaera nerves. Chimaera nerves examined with immunocytochemical techniques have revealed populations of both densely labeled and unreacting myelinated Schwann cells. Single axons can innervate both Schwann cell types, demonstrating that the expression of P1 in Schwann cell myelin is unrelated to the shiverer or normal genotype of the neuron. The coexistence of both Schwann cell types in single nerves indicates that multiple progenitor Schwann cells are allocated to developing nerves and the mosaic patterns expressed further suggest that such cells tend to proliferate relatively small coherent clones of Schwann cells.