The reticuloendothelial system in scrapie pathogenesis.

A single injection of 1 mg dextran sulphate 500 per mouse considerably prolonged incubation times and produced survivors, even when given 3 days after intravenous or intraperitoneal scrapie infection. Since this compound could be detected in mononuclear phagocytes of spleen and lymph nodes for up to 7 months, it is suggested that it impairs a particular step in the infectious process in these cells of the lymphoreticular system. Blockage of the reticuloendothelial system by trypan blue and silica did not alter the pathogenesis.