Research report 2011 - Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine
Mechanisms of the Myelin-Biosynthesis
Authors
Aggarwal, Shweta; Simons, Mikael
Departments
Arbeitsgruppe Zelluläre Neurowissenschaften (M. Simons)
Summary
Myelin is an electrical insulator essential for the rapid conduction of nerve impulses in the central nervous system. In order to do so, myelin requires a unique lipid and protein composition. Recent findings demonstrate that oligodendrocytes generate a barrier that functions as a physical filter to form the lipid-rich myelin membrane sheets. Myelin basic protein establishes this molecular sieve and restricts the diffusion of proteins into myelin. This mechanism generates the anisotropic membrane organization of oligodendrocytes that facilitates the assembly of highly insulating membranes.