Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol
2015[Mar]; 7
(6
): ? PMID25818566
show ga
Although the ultrastructure of peripheral nerves has been known for nearly 200
years, the developmental origins and functional roles of all five main components
of these specialized nervous system conduits are still poorly understood. One of
these understudied nerve elements, the perineurium, is a component of the
blood-nerve barrier and is essential for protecting axons and their associated
Schwann cells from ionic flux, toxins, and infection. However, until recently, it
was thought that this vital nerve tissue was derived from the mesoderm and simply
served a structural/barrier function with no other influence on the development,
maintenance, or regeneration of peripheral nerves. Recent work in zebrafish using
in vivo time-lapse imaging, genetic manipulation, and laser axotomy is shedding
light on the origin and roles of this previously ignored glial nerve component
and is changing how we view development of the nervous system.
free
free
free
