Immunocytology of carbonic anhydrase II in the central nervous system of jimpy mutant mice.

In agreement with previous observations in rats, carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) demonstrated immunocytochemically with a specific immune serum, is exclusively localized in oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system of both normal and dysmyelinating Jimpy mutant mice. In spite of the lack of myelin, the CAII-containing cells in Jimpy mice are abundant. These data suggest that oligodendrocytes are formed in Jimpy mice but they are not able to reach an advanced stage of maturation as defined by their capacity for producing myelin.