Regulation of galactocerebroside and sulfatide synthesis by hormones in chick neural cultures.

Chick neural cultures were used to study effects of insulin, thyrotropin releasing hormone, growth hormone and glucagon on myelin lipid synthesis in vitro. The incorporation of [3H]galactose into myelin associated lipids such as cerebroside and sulfatide was used as an index for various hormonal effects on myelination. The data suggest that these hormones were effective on myelin lipid synthesis only in the central nervous cells, not in the peripheral nerve cells.