Histoenzymic studies in the myelinopathy provoked by the cerebrospinal fluid exchange.

A histochemical study was performed on the activity of several phosphatases, esterases and oxidoreductases in the spinal cord of cat in the course of the myelinopathy provoked by the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) exchange. The following results were obtained: 1. Neuroglial cells of the spinal cord react with a slight, focal increase of TPP-ase activity already during the early stage of myelinopathy evoked by repeated withdrawal and reinjecting of CSF into the Cisterna magna of experimental cats. 2. During the late stage of this experimental disease-- the oligo-and astroglia of the spinal cord dtsplay considerably increased activities of ATP-ase, acP, and of various oxidoreductases. 3. The observed morphological and functional (increased enzymic activity) changes of the oligodendroglia as well as the demonstrable damage of myelin sheath, seem to be the results of vasogenous edema. 4. The results of investigations performed did not yield any arguments, which would speak in favour of the assumption, that the changes of the oligodendroglia cells function as the primary cause in the myelinopathy provoked by the CSF exchange, affecting secondary the myelin sheaths. 5. The decissively increased lysosomal acP activity in oligodendroglial cells of the spinal cord investigated during the early stage of this myelinopathy, accompanied by an evidently damaged Golgi apparatus, may be explained when the Golgi zone is not necessarily the only cellular site where acid phosphatase may be performed.