title: Schwann cells and their transcriptional network: Evolution of key regulators of peripheral myelination.
abstract: As derivatives of the neural crest, Schwann cells represent a vertebrate invention. Their development and differentiation is under control of a newly constructed, vertebrate-specific regulatory network that contains Sox10, Oct6 and Krox20 as cornerstones and central regulators of peripheral myelination. In this review, we discuss the function and relationship of these transcription factors among each other and in the context of their regulatory network, and present ideas of how neofunctionalization may have helped to recruit them to their novel task in Schwann cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Myelin Evolution.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: C Claus
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Stolt
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: michael.wegner@fau.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wegner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Myelin; Neofunctionalization; Regulatory circuits; Schwann cell; Sox proteins; Transcription factors