Myelinic nanochannels in neurodegenerative diseases
Myelin is made by highly specialized glial cells and enables fast axonal impulse propagation. We have
discovered that oligodendrocytes in the CNS are, in addition to myelination, required for the integrity and
survival of axons, i...
Myelin is made by highly specialized glial cells and enables fast axonal impulse propagation. We have
discovered that oligodendrocytes in the CNS are, in addition to myelination, required for the integrity and
survival of axons, independent of the presence or absence of myelin itself. More recently, we found the
underlying mechanism and could show that glycolytic oligodendrocytes provide axons with pyruvate/lactate.
These metabolites are transported through a system of myelinic nanochannels to the axonal compartment, in
which mitochondria generate ATP. The finding was a paradigm-shift for the physiological function of axonassociated
glia, and opens now the intriguing possibility that oligodendrocytes are important modifiers of
neurological diseases in which myelinated axons are lost. This includes, in addition to multiple sclerosis, also
classical neuropsychiatric disorders. We will generate novel genetic tools in mice that allow us to study the
role myelin and secondary axonal loss in higher brain functions. We will test the challenging hypothesis that
reducing oligodendroglial support of axonal metabolism is a risk for differen neurodegenerative disorders.
These involve the previously neglected ultrastructure of CNS myelin with cytosolic (20-300 nanometer
wide) channels within the myelin sheath. These 'nanochannels' couple the oligodendrocyte soma
metabolically to the adaxonal space, but are vulnerable to aging and physical injury. We hypothesize that
cellular mechanisms as diverse as neuroinflammation and the aggregation of misfolded proteins in myelinic
nanochannels cause perturbations of the axonal energy metabolism. When combined, the findings of
MyeliNANO will shed new light on previously unknown functions of CNS myelin and will pave the way for
metabolic neuroprotection as a therapeutic approach to a range of neurodegenerative diseases.ver más
Seleccionando "Aceptar todas las cookies" acepta el uso de cookies para ayudarnos a brindarle una mejor experiencia de usuario y para analizar el uso del sitio web. Al hacer clic en "Ajustar tus preferencias" puede elegir qué cookies permitir. Solo las cookies esenciales son necesarias para el correcto funcionamiento de nuestro sitio web y no se pueden rechazar.
Cookie settings
Nuestro sitio web almacena cuatro tipos de cookies. En cualquier momento puede elegir qué cookies acepta y cuáles rechaza. Puede obtener más información sobre qué son las cookies y qué tipos de cookies almacenamos en nuestra Política de cookies.
Son necesarias por razones técnicas. Sin ellas, este sitio web podría no funcionar correctamente.
Son necesarias para una funcionalidad específica en el sitio web. Sin ellos, algunas características pueden estar deshabilitadas.
Nos permite analizar el uso del sitio web y mejorar la experiencia del visitante.
Nos permite personalizar su experiencia y enviarle contenido y ofertas relevantes, en este sitio web y en otros sitios web.