Restricted growth of Schwann cells lacking Cajal bands slows conduction in myelinated nerves.
Nature
; 431(7005): 191-5, 2004 Sep 09.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-15356632
ABSTRACT
Nerve impulses are propagated at nodes of Ranvier in the myelinated nerves of vertebrates. Internodal distances have been proposed to affect the velocity of nerve impulse conduction; however, direct evidence is lacking, and the cellular mechanisms that might regulate the length of the myelinated segments are unknown. Ramón y Cajal described longitudinal and transverse bands of cytoplasm or trabeculae in internodal Schwann cells and suggested that they had a nutritive function. Here we show that internodal growth in wild-type nerves is precisely matched to nerve extension, but disruption of the cytoplasmic bands in Periaxin-null mice impairs Schwann cell elongation during nerve growth. By contrast, myelination proceeds normally. The capacity of wild-type and mutant Schwann cells to elongate is cell-autonomous, indicating that passive stretching can account for the lengthening of the internode during limb growth. As predicted on theoretical grounds, decreased internodal distances strikingly decrease conduction velocities and so affect motor function. We propose that microtubule-based transport in the longitudinal bands of Cajal permits internodal Schwann cells to lengthen in response to axonal growth, thus ensuring rapid nerve impulse transmission.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Células de Schwann
/
Transmissão Sináptica
/
Fibras Nervosas Mielinizadas
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nature
Ano de publicação:
2004
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido