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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

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Lipids are an essential component of all biological membranes. The average lipid content in mammalian membranes is 50%, though it can be as low as 20% in the inner mitochondrial membrane or as high as 80% in the myelin sheath present around the nerve cells.
Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin are the most common phospholipids present in mammalian membranes. At physiological pH, phosphatidylserine is negatively charged, while the other three...
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Nervous Tissue: Myelin01:25

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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...
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Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

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Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
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Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body01:31

Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body

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Fats and lipids are crucial components in the human body. Some lipid-derived compounds, such as fat-soluble vitamins, eicosanoids, lipoproteins, and glycolipids, also play unique roles to support various  biological processes .
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, are required in minimal quantities, but their deficiencies can lead to severely abnormal physiological conditions. For example, vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness, dry skin,...
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Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

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Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
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Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

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Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
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Generation of Oligodendrocytes and Oligodendrocyte-Conditioned Medium for Co-Culture Experiments
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Lipids in regulating oligodendrocyte structure and function.

Laura Montani1

  • 1Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|September 11, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Lipids are crucial for myelin structure and function in the central nervous system (CNS). Beyond structural roles, lipids act as signals regulating oligodendrocyte development and myelin formation, with defects linked to neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords:
CNSCholesterolFatty acidLipidMyelinOligodendrocyte

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Oligodendrocytes form myelin, a lipid-rich membrane essential for fast nerve impulse conduction in the CNS.
  • Myelin's unique lipid composition (2:2:1 cholesterol:phospholipid:glycolipid) is critical for its structure and function.
  • Genetic defects in lipid metabolism cause neurodegenerative diseases with oligodendrocyte and myelin pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of lipids in shaping and maintaining myelin structure and function.
  • To highlight the signaling functions of lipids in oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) proliferation and differentiation.
  • To discuss key findings on lipid roles in oligodendrocyte maturation and myelinating processes, alongside related human diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of current research findings.
  • Analysis of studies investigating lipid metabolism and its impact on CNS myelin.
  • Presentation of human diseases associated with lipid defects and myelin pathology.

Main Results:

  • Lipids are not merely structural components but also vital signaling molecules in myelin development.
  • Lipids regulate the proliferation and differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs).
  • Lipid dysregulation contributes significantly to oligodendrocyte and myelin defects in neurodegenerative conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Lipids play dynamic roles in CNS myelin, influencing both structure and cell signaling.
  • Understanding lipid functions is key to deciphering the pathophysiology of myelin-related neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Further research is needed to address remaining questions regarding lipid roles in CNS physiology and pathology.