Proliferation of rat intraspinal Schwann cells following tellurium intoxication.

A stable population of intraspinal Schwann cells, which developed following early postnatal irradiation of the spinal cord, was challenged by the addition of tellurium (Te) to the diet beginning at 30 days of age. Schwann cells incorporating [3H]thymidine were identified by 1 micron autoradiographs and by conventional electron microscopy of adjacent thin sections. Autoradiographs of areas with Schwann cell myelination showed extensive labelling of cells in the Te-fed animals. In contrast, control animals which were not fed Te showed little evidence of labelled Schwann cells. These data indicate that Schwann cells in the intraspinal environment show a proliferative response to the presence of Te in the rat's diet, as do Schwann cells in their normal extraspinal milieu.