Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Exerimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory demyleinating disease of the central nervous system that is induced in laboratory animals by the generation of an immune response against myelin epitopes. It has been used as a prototype of Th1-driven, organ-specific autoimmunity and as a model for the human disease multiple sclerosis. This chapter describes two classic protocols for EAE induction (active immunization and adoptive transfer). Subheading 3.3. describes methods for rating clinical disease in symptomatic animals. Subheading 3.4. includes instructions for the isolation of mononuclear cells from the inflamed spinal cords from mice with EAE.