title: Schwann cells: origins and role in axonal maintenance and regeneration.
abstract: The Schwann cell plays a vital role in maintaining the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Schwann cells are derived from neural crest cells, and come in two types either myelinating or non-myelinating Schwann cells. Both play a pivotal role in the maintenance and regeneration of axons of the neurons in the PNS. The regulation of Schwann cells is mediated a number of different neurotrophic factors which signal to transcription factors such as Krox-20, Oct-6 and Sox-10. Schwann cells are affected in a number of demyelinating disorders, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and Guillain-Barré Syndrome, infected by Mycobacterium leprae to cause leprosy and are responsible for the tumors seen in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and neurofibromatosis type 2. The Schwann cell is under investigation as a therapeutic agent for demyelinating diseases and spinal cord injuries. Further research on Schwann cells will help understand these diseases and perhaps lead to new treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19041, USA.
authors.forename: Kanav
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhatheja
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Field
mesh_terms: D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology