The phagocytic capacity of neurones.

Phagocytosis is defined as the ingestion of particulates over 0.5 microm in diameter and is associated with cells of the immune system such as macrophages or monocytes. Neurones are not generally recognized to be phagocytic.

Activation of microglia in mice spinal cords following passive transfer of purified IgG from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: To determine whether IgG from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients could cause activation of microglia, proliferation of astrocytes, and infiltration by lymphocytes within mice spinal cords.

Methods: A group of 5 mice received injections of IgG purified from sera of patients with ALS. A control group of 5 mice received IgG from healthy humans, whilst a third group of 2 mice served as non-injected controls.

Reduced neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) antigen in sacral motor neurones in motor neurone disease.

Immunocytochemistry and microdensitometry applied under standardised conditions were used to evaluate neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) antigen in segmental motor neurones (MN) of six subjects without neurological disease, nine subjects with sporadic motor neurone disease (MND) and five with neurological disease unrelated to MND. No significant segmental differences in levels of NOS1 immunoreactivity occurred between the two control groups, and differences between cervical, thoracic and lumbar MN of the three subject groups were not significant. However, MND patients showed a significantly reduced level of NOS1 immunoreactivity in the Onuf's nucleus (ON); this is discussed in relation to neuroprotection and the relative sparing of ON in MND.