Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology· 2015Q1· Preprint
Oligodendrocytes: Myelination and Axonal Support
- 877citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2015year
Short summary
Oligodendrocytes, the cells forming myelin in the central nervous system, are not just passive insulators but are metabolically active and actively support axonal integrity.
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Key points
- Myelin sheath formation by oligodendrocytes enables efficient electrical signal transduction in the CNS.
- Oligodendrocytes are metabolically active cells, not just inert insulators.
- Oligodendrocytes maintain axonal integrity through direct cytoplasmic connections.
- Myelinic channels facilitate macromolecule transport to the internodal periaxonal space.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Myelinated nerve fibers have evolved to enable fast and efficient transduction of electrical signals in the nervous system. To act as an electric insulator, the myelin sheath is formed as a multilamellar membrane structure by the spiral wrapping and subsequent compaction of the oligodendroglial plasma membrane around central nervous system (CNS) axons. Current evidence indicates that the myelin sheath is more than an inert insulating membrane structure. Oligodendrocytes are metabolically active and functionally connected to the subjacent axon via cytoplasmic-rich myelinic channels for movement of macromolecules to and from the internodal periaxonal space under the myelin sheath. This review summarizes our current understanding of how myelin is generated and also the role of oligodendrocytes in supporting the long-term integrity of myelinated axons.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 2015 · DOI ↗
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Field: Developmental Neuroscience
Developmental NeuroscienceNeuroscience