The Schwann cell plays a vital role in maintaining the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Schwann cells are derived from neural crest cells, and come in two types either myelinating or non-myelinating Schwann cells. Both play a pivotal role in the maintenance and regeneration of axons of the neurons in the PNS. The regulation of Schwann cells is mediated a number of different neurotrophic factors which signal to transcription factors such as Krox-20, Oct-6 and Sox-10. Schwann cells are affected in a number of demyelinating disorders, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Guillain-Barré Syndrome, infected by Mycobacterium leprae to cause leprosy and are responsible for the tumors seen in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and neurofibromatosis type 2. The Schwann cell is under investigation as a therapeutic agent for demyelinating diseases and spinal cord injuries. Further research on Schwann cells will help understand these diseases and perhaps lead to new treatments.
BT - The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16807057?dopt=Abstract DA - 2006 DO - 10.1016/j.biocel.2006.05.007 IS - 12 J2 - Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. LA - eng N2 -The Schwann cell plays a vital role in maintaining the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Schwann cells are derived from neural crest cells, and come in two types either myelinating or non-myelinating Schwann cells. Both play a pivotal role in the maintenance and regeneration of axons of the neurons in the PNS. The regulation of Schwann cells is mediated a number of different neurotrophic factors which signal to transcription factors such as Krox-20, Oct-6 and Sox-10. Schwann cells are affected in a number of demyelinating disorders, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Guillain-Barré Syndrome, infected by Mycobacterium leprae to cause leprosy and are responsible for the tumors seen in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and neurofibromatosis type 2. The Schwann cell is under investigation as a therapeutic agent for demyelinating diseases and spinal cord injuries. Further research on Schwann cells will help understand these diseases and perhaps lead to new treatments.
PY - 2006 SP - 1995 EP - 9 T2 - The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology TI - Schwann cells: origins and role in axonal maintenance and regeneration. VL - 38 SN - 1357-2725 ER -