This immunohistochemical study evaluated Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) in the rat nervous system and their changes in the spinal cord subjected to compression. Normal spinal cord showed a low level of Fas and Fast immunoreactivity in the white matter except in the corticospinal tracts. Fas and Fast immunoreactivity seemed to be located in axons and their myelin sheaths. Other regions of the nervous system did not show immunoreactivity to Fas and Fast. Moderate and severe compression injury of the spinal cord resulted in a reduction of Fas and Fast immunoreactivity in the white matter of injured T8-9 segments at 4 h and a complete loss at 1 day after trauma. This was seen even in the remaining white matter. In contrast, increased immunoreactivity to Fas and Fast was present in the cranial T7, caudal T10 (moderate injury) and T12 (severe injury) segments at day 4 with most intense staining were seen at day 9 after trauma. Increased Fas and Fast immunoreactivity may have pathophysiological implications for the development of secondary injuries after trauma to the spinal cord. Fas-FasL interactions may for instance be involved in apoptosis of oligodendrocytes which occurs as a delayed phenomenon after trauma to the spinal cord. The integrity of myelin sheaths may in this way be jeopardized by apoptosis of oligodendrocytes.