Brain reaggregate cultures: biochemical evidence for myelin membrane synthesis.

Myelin membrane synthesis was studied using mechanically dissociated fetal rodent CNS which formed spherical reaggregates while being maintained in rotating culture flasks. These reaggregate cultures exhibited myelinogenesis in vitro after precisely the same period of time needed for myelin synthesis to commence in vivo. The myelin membrane related enzymes, 2', 3' cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase (CNP) and cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST), appear similar in their specific activities and follow the same developmental patterns that these enzymes exhibit in vivo. In addition, phosphorylation of myelin basic protein occurs by the third week in vitro which agrees with previously published in vivo studies. These experiments indicate that this nerve-cell culture system may be a appropriate model for studying the biological regulation of myelinogenesis as well as a variety of other nervous-system functions.