A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF NERVE MYELIN

A structure analysis of the low-angle X-ray diffraction data from nerve myelin is described. The low-angle X-ray data are interpreted in terms of an electron density strip model which has five parameters, these refer to the dimensions of the membrane pair and their component electron densities. Three sets of low-angle X-ray data from peripheral nerve swollen in media of different electron densities are analyzed and membrane pair dimensions and component electron densities on an absolute scale are assigned. Membrane pair dimensions are given for a variety of peripheral nerve myelins and central nervous system myelins. © 1969, The Biophysical Society. All rights reserved.