Parameters related to lipid metabolism as markers of myelination in mouse brain

摘要: Myelination, during both normal development and with respect to disorders of myelination, is commonly studied by morphological and/or biochemical techniques that assay as their end-points the extent myelination. The rate myelination potentially a more useful parameter, but it difficult time-consuming establish, requiring complete developmental study labor-intensive methodology. We report herein methodology absolute at any desired time development. This involves intraperitoneal injection (3)H(2)O label body water pools, followed determination in myelin-specific lipid, cerebroside. amount cerebroside synthesized can then be calculated from specific radioactivity knowledge number hydrogens incorporated into During development, synthesis correlated well accumulation components, myelin basic protein For purposes control, we also tested other putative, albeit less quantitative, indices Levels mRNA for ceramide galactosyltransferase (rate-limiting enzyme synthesis) did not closely correlate all times. Cholesterol matched cholesterol track Synthesis fatty acids either (phospholipids) or markers. conclude measurement rates provides good measure approach may an additional parameter examining effects environmental genetic alterations on