Studies of autoimmunity in multiple sclerosis.

The central nervous system myelin unit (the myelin sheath and the supporting oligodendrocyte) may be damaged by a number of immune-mediated mechanisms involving cellular or humoral factors. In this review the following areas will be considered: the composition and properties of central nervous system myelin, the chemical and biological characteristics of oligodendrocytes, the participation of the central nervous system myelin unit in experimentally induced diseases, and a description and analysis of immunological abnormalities in humans with multiple sclerosis.