Article abstract
Nature Neuroscience 10, 861 - 869 (2007)
Published online: 3 June 2007 | doi:10.1038/nn1915
A central role for Necl4 (SynCAM4) in Schwann cell–axon interaction and myelination
Ivo Spiegel1, Konstantin Adamsky1, Yael Eshed1, Ron Milo1, Helena Sabanay1, Offra Sarig-Nadir1, Ido Horresh1, Steven S Scherer2, Matthew N Rasband3 & Elior Peles1
Abstract
Myelination in the peripheral nervous system requires close contact between Schwann cells and the axon, but the underlying molecular basis remains largely unknown. Here we show that cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) of the nectin-like (Necl, also known as SynCAM or Cadm) family mediate Schwann cell–axon interaction during myelination. Necl4 is the main Necl expressed by myelinating Schwann cells and is located along the internodes in direct apposition to Necl1, which is localized on axons. Necl4 serves as the glial binding partner for axonal Necl1, and the interaction between these two CAMs mediates Schwann cell adhesion. The disruption of the interaction between Necl1 and Necl4 by their soluble extracellular domains, or the expression of a dominant-negative Necl4 in Schwann cells, inhibits myelination. These results suggest that Necl proteins are important for mediating axon-glia contact during myelination in peripheral nerves.
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, POB 26, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Room 464 Stemmler Hall, 3450 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA.
Correspondence to: Elior Peles1 e-mail: peles@weizmann.ac.il
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