Fluorescence-microscopic localization of in vivo injected ethidium bromide in the nervous system of the mouse.

Ethidium bromide is a compound which can suppress DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in mammalian cells. It is a very useful tool in experimental neuropathology for studies on myelin lesions taking place in the spinal cord after injury to oligodendroglial cells following intracisternal or intraspinal administration. By using a technique described in this short original communication we can now directly trace the distribution of the compound in various cells of the central and the peripheral nervous systems after its administration to a living experimental animal. Therefore, in the future direct correlations can be made between the cellular distribution of the compound and its cytotoxic effects.