title: Perisynaptic Schwann Cells at the Neuromuscular Synapse: Adaptable, Multitasking Glial Cells.
abstract: The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is engineered to be a highly reliable synapse to carry the control of the motor commands of the nervous system over the muscles. Its development, organization, and synaptic properties are highly structured and regulated to support such reliability and efficacy. Yet, the NMJ is also highly plastic, able to react to injury and adapt to changes. This balance between structural stability and synaptic efficacy on one hand and structural plasticity and repair on another hand is made possible by the intricate regulation of perisynaptic Schwann cells, glial cells at this synapse. They regulate both the efficacy and structural plasticity of the NMJ in a dynamic, bidirectional manner owing to their ability to decode synaptic transmission and by their interactions via trophic-related factors.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-2520.
authors.forename: Chien-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Département de Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robitaille
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins