Galactocerebroside antiserum causes demyelination of cat optic nerve.

A model of immune-mediated optic nerve demyelination is described. Micro-injection of small volumes (less than 5 microliter) of high titer polyclonal anti-Gal-C serum into the cat optic nerve resulted in a focal, highly selective demyelinative lesion followed by remyelination. Demyelination appears to be due to a dual effect on myelin and on oligodendrocytes. The numbers of these cells within the lesion were initially reduced but subsequently increased as remyelination occurred.