A possible function of Schwann cells in neuromuscular transmission in the frog.

The total treatment of the cutaneous pectoris muscle of the frog with rabbit antiserum to galactocerebrosides leads to the slowing of the development of the depression of end-plate currents when the transected preparations are stimulated in normal Ringer's solution at a frequency of 100 imp/sec. Changes are not observed in the quantal composition and the binomial characteristics of neuromuscular transmission when nontransected preparations are stimulated at 1 imp/sec in solutions containing magnesium. The action of the antiserum to galactocerebrosides elicits an increase in the relative number of typical miniature end-plate potentials that are characterized by a prolonged time course. The electron microscopic investigation of the preparations demonstrates the absence of lysis of the schwann cells in the preparations subjected to treatment with antiserum. It is possible that the effects obtained reflect changes in the functional state of the Schwann cells of the synaptic region that arise as the result of the fixation on their membrane of antibodies to galactocerebrosides.