Effects of solvents on the structure of myelin in the sciatic nerve of the frog

• Published in: Experimental cell research Vol. 4; no. 1; pp. 82 - 95
• Main Authors: Elkes, J., Finean, J.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 1953
• ISSN: 0014-4827; 1090-2422
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-4827(53)90190-6

1. 1. The effects of ethyl alcohol, ether, and acetone on the X-ray diffraction patterns of fresh nerve and dried nerve have been studied. 2. 2. Ethyl alcohol and acetone vapours produced rapid changes in the diffraction pattern of fresh nerve. Ether vapour had relatively little effect. The effects of mixtures containing varying proportions of alcohol or acetone in Ringer solution were similar to those of the solvent vapours. Ethyl alcohol, acetone, and ether, all readily affected the spacings below 70 A in the dried nerve pattern. The spacings above 70 Å were much more susceptible to alcohol treatment than to ether and acetone. 3. 3. The results are in keeping with the existence in myelin of a highly-ordered lipid-lipoprotein unit.