Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026
08:57
In Vitro Myelination of Peripheral Axons in a Coculture of Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion Explants and Schwann Cells
Published on: February 10, 2023
2.7K
DRG Neuron/Schwann Cells Myelinating Cocultures
Carla Taveggia1, Alessandra Bolino2
1Division of Neuroscience and INSPE, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. taveggia.carla@hsr.it.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|July 15, 2018
Summary
This study details a protocol for creating in vitro myelinating cultures using Schwann cells and sensory neurons. This method advances research into peripheral nervous system myelination processes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelination is crucial for nerve function.
- Understanding PNS myelination requires effective experimental models.
- Schwann cells are the glial cells responsible for myelination in the PNS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a detailed protocol for establishing Schwann cell-neuronal cocultures.
- To provide a method for in vitro study of PNS myelination.
- To outline substrate options for optimizing coculture systems.
Main Methods:
- Coculturing primary Schwann cells with primary sensory neurons.
- Utilizing specific substrates to support cell adhesion and myelination.
- Detailed step-by-step protocol for culture establishment.
Main Results:
- Successful establishment of myelinating cocultures.
- Demonstration of Schwann cell interaction with neurons leading to myelination.
- Identification of suitable substrates for robust myelination.
Conclusions:
- The described protocol provides a reliable method for studying PNS myelination in vitro.
- This in vitro system is a valuable tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms of myelination.
- Further research into Schwann cell-neuronal interactions can be facilitated by this model.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Nervous Tissue: Myelin
5.9K
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...
5.9K
01:23Neurons: The Cell Body and the Dendrites
7.2K
A typical nerve cell comprises three main components: the cell body, dendrites, and the axon. The cell body, also known as the soma or perikaryon, serves as the central biosynthetic hub housing a nucleus surrounded by cytoplasm containing organelles commonly found in most cells. Notably, Nissl bodies, clusters of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes responsible for protein synthesis, are distinctive features of the neuronal cell body. As neurons age, aggregates of a brown pigment...
7.2K
01:21Neurons: The Axon
7.4K
Axons are long, cytoplasmic processes of nerve cells capable of propagating electrical impulses known as action potentials. The cytoplasm or axoplasm of an axon contains neurofibrils, neurotubules, small vesicles, lysosomes, mitochondria, and various enzymes, all encased within the axolemma, the plasma membrane of the axon.
The axon attaches to the cell body at a cone-shaped elevation called the axon hillock. The initial part of the axon, closest to the hillock, is known as the initial segment....
The axon attaches to the cell body at a cone-shaped elevation called the axon hillock. The initial part of the axon, closest to the hillock, is known as the initial segment....
7.4K
01:31Neuron Structure
231.8K
Overview
231.8K
01:30Neuron Structure
18.4K
Neurons are the main type of cell in the nervous system that generate and transmit electrochemical signals. They primarily communicate with each other using neurotransmitters at specific junctions called synapses. Neurons come in many shapes that often relate to their function, but most share three main structures: an axon and dendrites that extend out from a cell body.
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to...
Structure and Function of Neurons
The neuronal cell body—the soma— houses the nucleus and organelles vital to...
18.4K
01:28Neuronal Communication
3.5K
Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
3.5K