title: Switching myelination on and off.
abstract: Schwann cells are remarkably plastic cells that can both form and stably maintain myelin sheaths around axons and also rapidly dedifferentiate upon injury. New findings (Parkinson, D.B., A. Bhaskaran, P. Arthur-Farraj, L.A. Noon, A. Woodhoo, A.C. Lloyd, M.L. Feltri, L. Wrabetz, A. Behrens, R. Mirsky, and K.R. Jessen. 2008. J. Cell Biol. 181:625-637) indicate that the transition between these distinct states of differentiation is directed by the transcription factor Krox-20, which promotes and maintains myelination, and c-Jun, which antagonizes it. Cross-inhibition of these transcription factors serves to switch Schwann cells between the myelinated and dedifferentiated phenotypes, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Neurology, Smilow Neuroscience Program, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Salzer@Saturn.med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Salzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051767:Early Growth Response Protein 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D024002:HMGB Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D048688:MAP Kinase Kinase 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051767:Early Growth Response Protein 2; D024002:HMGB Proteins; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; C527783:Sox2 protein, mouse; C527784:Sox2 protein, rat; D014157:Transcription Factors; D048688:MAP Kinase Kinase 7