New insights on Schwann cell development

In the peripheral nervous system, Schwann cells are glial cells that are in intimate contact with axons throughout development. Schwann cells generate the insulating myelin sheath and provide vital trophic support to the neurons that they ensheathe. Schwann cell precursors arise from neural crest progenitor cells, and a highly ordered developmental sequence controls the progression of these cells to become mature myelinating or nonmyelinating Schwann cells. Here, we discuss both seminal discoveries and recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive Schwann cell development and myelination with a focus on cell-cell and cell-matrix signaling events.