title: Axonal neuregulin-1 regulates myelin sheath thickness.
abstract: In the nervous system of vertebrates, myelination is essential for rapid and accurate impulse conduction. Myelin thickness depends on axon fiber size. We use mutant and transgenic mouse lines to show that axonal Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) signals information about axon size to Schwann cells. Reduced Nrg1 expression causes hypomyelination and reduced nerve conduction velocity. Neuronal overexpression of Nrg1 induces hypermyelination and demonstrates that Nrg1 type III is the responsible isoform. We suggest a model by which myelin-forming Schwann cells integrate axonal Nrg1 signals as a biochemical measure of axon size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Galin V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Michailov
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sereda
authors.forename: Bastian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Brinkmann
authors.forename: Tobias M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Birchmeier
authors.forename: Lorna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Role
authors.forename: Cary
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Markus H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: Klaus-Armin
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Nave
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000737:chemistry; D018390:Gene Targeting; D018815:Genes, erbB; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006579:Heterozygote; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009431:Neural Conduction; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000502:physiology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000737:chemistry; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D020893:Receptor, ErbB-3