Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
09:46
Analyzing Murine Schwann Cell Development Along Growing Axons
Published on: November 21, 2012
Schwann cells as regulators of nerve development
Rhona Mirsky1, Kristjan R Jessen, Angela Brennan
1Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, London, UK. r.mirsky@ucl.ac.uk
Journal of Physiology, Paris
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Schwann cells, crucial for peripheral nerve development and repair, regulate neuron survival and nerve sheath formation. Their ability to survive without axons is vital for nerve regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Peripheral nerves contain myelinating and non-myelinating Schwann cells originating from neural crest cells.
- Schwann cell precursors require neuron-derived signals like beta-neuregulin for survival and maturation.
- Schwann cells and precursors influence neuronal numbers and axonal characteristics during development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the survival mechanisms of Schwann cell precursors and mature Schwann cells.
- To understand the role of autocrine signaling in Schwann cell survival.
- To elucidate the function of Schwann cells in nerve sheath formation and overall nerve development.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cell survival regulation in developing and mature peripheral nerves.
- Identification of key growth factors involved in Schwann cell survival.
- Investigation of signaling pathways controlling Schwann cell differentiation and nerve sheath development.
Main Results:
- Schwann cell precursors depend on axonal signals for survival, ensuring precursor-axon matching.
- Mature Schwann cells develop autocrine growth factor loops (IGFs, PDGF-BB, NT-3) for axon-independent survival.
- Schwann cells produce Desert Hedgehog, essential for perineurium formation, highlighting their regulatory role.
Conclusions:
- Schwann cell survival regulation shifts from paracrine dependence in precursors to autocrine loops in mature cells.
- This shift is critical for nerve repair and regeneration after injury.
- Schwann cells are central regulators of peripheral nerve development, influencing neurons, axons, and connective tissues.
Related Concept Videos
01:37Neural Regulation
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
01:04Glial Cells
Overview
01:30Neurulation
Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the anterior...
01:25Nervous Tissue: Myelin
The myelin sheath is a multilayered lipid and protein covering that insulates the axon of a neuron, enhancing the speed of nerve impulse conduction. Axons without this sheath are referred to as unmyelinated. Two types of neuroglia, Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) are responsible for producing myelin sheaths.
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
Schwann cells begin to form myelin sheaths around axons during fetal development. They wrap around a small...
01:15Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
In the CNS, neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons from stem cells, is limited to the hippocampus in adults. In other regions of the brain and spinal cord, neurogenesis is almost non-existent due to inhibitory influences from neuroglia, especially oligodendrocytes, and the absence of growth-stimulating cues. The myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in the CNS inhibits neuronal regeneration. Furthermore, astrocytes proliferate rapidly after neuronal damage, forming scar tissue that physically...
01:31Nervous Tissue: Glial Cells
Glia, or neuroglia, are vital support cells that assist neurons in their functions. The term "glia" originates from the Greek word for "glue," reflecting their role in holding the nervous system together. These cells can be categorized into six types: four in the central nervous system (CNS) and two in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
The CNS glial cell includes the astrocytes, the oligodendrocytes, the microglia, and the ependymal cells.
Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells that interact...
The CNS glial cell includes the astrocytes, the oligodendrocytes, the microglia, and the ependymal cells.
Astrocytes are star-shaped glial cells that interact...