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Related Experiment Videos

Nerve impulses regulate myelination through purinergic signalling.

R Douglas Fields1

  • 1Nervous System Development and Plasticity Section, National Institutes of Health, NICHD, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.

Novartis Foundation Symposium
|June 30, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Impulse activity releases ATP from axons, affecting myelin formation differently in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Purinergic signaling via ATP and adenosine differentially regulates Schwann cells and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Neurobiology

Background:

  • Myelin sheath provides critical electrical insulation for axonal impulse conduction.
  • Myelin formation differs between the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS), involving Schwann cells (SCs) and oligodendrocytes, respectively.
  • Axonal impulse activity influences myelination, but its precise role in PNS vs. CNS glia is complex.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how axonal impulse activity influences myelinating glia (SCs and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells - OPCs).
  • To elucidate the role of purinergic signaling in mediating the effects of axonal activity on SCs and OPCs.
  • To understand the differential regulation of myelination in the PNS and CNS.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons with axons in both PNS and CNS.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Employed calcium imaging to monitor glial responses to axonal firing.
  • Analyzed the expression and function of purinergic receptors (P1 and P2) on SCs and OPCs.

    • Main Results:

    • Axonal impulse activity releases ATP, detected by myelinating glia.
    • Axonal firing differentially activates purinergic receptors on SCs and OPCs, leading to opposing effects on differentiation.
    • ATP inhibits SC differentiation and myelination, while adenosine stimulates OPC differentiation and myelination.
    • Purinergic signaling interacts with growth factor and cytokine signaling in a developmentally regulated manner.

    Conclusions:

    • Impulse activity-induced ATP release and subsequent purinergic signaling play a crucial role in regulating myelination.
    • Differential expression and function of purinergic receptors on SCs and OPCs mediate distinct responses to axonal activity.
    • This study highlights the complex, cell-type-specific regulation of myelination by neuronal activity in the PNS and CNS.