Abstract
Nerve axons in the central and peripheral nervous system are normally surrounded by satellite cells. These cells, known as Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, interact with axons to form a myelin sheath, so allowing nerve impulses to proceed at high speed. Schwann cells are thought to differ from neurones in their membrane properties in one important aspect: they lack excitability. Using the patch-clamp technique we have now measured directly the ionic currents across the membrane of single Schwann cells cultured from newborn rabbits. Surprisingly, we found that these Schwann cells possess voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels that are similar to those present in neuronal membranes.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gray, P. T. A., Bevan, S. & Ritchie, J. M. Proc. R. Soc. (in the press).
Brockes, J. P., Fryxell, K. J. & Lemke, G. E. J. exp. Biol. 95, 215–230 (1981).
Hamill, O. P., Marty, A., Neher, E., Sakmann, B. & Sigworth, F. J. Eur. J. Physiol. 391, 85–100 (1981).
Fenwick, E. M., Marty, A. & Neher, E. J. Physiol., Lond. 331, 577–597 (1982).
Yeh, J. Z., Oxford, G. S., Wu, C. H. & Narahashi, T. Biophys. J. 16, 77–81 (1976).
Meves, H. & Pichon, Y. J. Physiol., Lond. 251, 60P–62P (1975).
Narahashi, T., Moore, J. W. & Scott, W. R. J. gen. Physiol. 47, 965–974 (1964).
Bevan, S., Gray, P. T. A., Rang, H. P. & Ritchie, J. M. J. Physiol., Lond. 348, 17P (1984).
Ritchie, J. M. & Rang, H. P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 2803–2807 (1983).
Munson, R., Westermark, B. & Glaser, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 6425–6429 (1979).
Pouyssegur, J., Jacques, Y. & Lazdunski, M. Nature 286, 162–164 (1980).
Kuffler, S. W., Nicholls, J. G. & Orkand, R. K. J. Neurophysiol. 29, 768–787 (1966).
Villegas, J., Sevcik, C., Barnola, F. V. & Villegas, R. J. gen. Physiol. 67, 369–380 (1976).
Tang, C. M., Strichartz, G. R. & Orkand, R. K. J. gen. Physiol. 74, 629–542 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chiu, S., Schrager, P. & Ritchie, J. Neuronal-type Na+ and K+ channels in rabbit cultured Schwann cells. Nature 311, 156–157 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/311156a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/311156a0
This article is cited by
-
KATP Channel Subunits in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglia: Alterations by Painful Axotomy
Molecular Pain (2010)
-
Ca2+-dependent release of endogenous GABA from rat cortical slices from different pools by different stimulation conditions
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology (2004)
-
Clusters of axonal Na+ channels adjacent to remyelinating Schwann cells
Journal of Neurocytology (1996)
-
Expression of mRNA for a sodium channel in subfamily 2 in spinal sensory neurons
Neurochemical Research (1996)
-
Voltage-dependent K+ channels in the sarcolemma of mouse skeletal muscle
Pfl�gers Archiv European Journal of Physiology (1991)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.