Schwann cell galactocerebroside of unmyelinated fibers is inducible by derivatives of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate.

By using indirect immunofluorescence, galactocerebroside (galC) was detected on the surface of Schwann cells cultured from unmyelinated fibers of 10- to 12-day-old rat cervical sympathetic nerve trunk. By day 4 in vitro, galC-positive cells disappeared from the culture. When the 4-day cultures were treated with 1 mM 8-bromo cyclic AMP or dibutyryl cyclic AMP, galC reappeared in 72 h. The proportion of Schwann cells expressing galC was dependent on the concentration of cyclic AMP derivatives used.