Outside-in & Inside-out Signaling in Integrins: The Key Players in
Schwann Cell Biology
-
1
Universidade do Porto, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Portugal
Myelination is essential for the normal development of the nervous system and greatly increases the conduction velocity of the nervous impulse. Control of myelination derives, at least in part, from signals originated within the extracellular environment from which growth factors and proteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are essential components.
There is a significant body of evidence showing that during peripheral nervous system (PNS) development Schwann cells (SCs) need to interpret different extracellular cues to regulate their migration, proliferation and the remarkable morphological changes associated with myelination of axons. Recruitment of cytoskeleton and signaling molecules to cell matrix contact sites, where they link the actin cytoskeleton to the ECM, mediates signal transduction between the extracellular and the intracellular compartments (outside-in signaling). Among the integrins, the β1-integrin subunit is part of many integrin heterodimers and in Schwann cells the genetic deletion of the β1-integrin subunit gene causes defects in SC- axon contact and impairs the capacity of SCs to extend cytoplasmic processes into embryonic axons bundles to establish one-to-one relationships with individual axons, a process referred to as radial sorting.
Our work focus the role of β1-integrins together with its interacting partners of the IPP complex (integrin- linked-kinase, PINCH and Parvin) and different Rho GTPases in Schwann cells biology during the development of the peripheral nervous system.
Insights into such mechanisms will hopefully help us to better understanding of myelination and may suggest therapeutic approaches to Peripheral Neuropathies.
Conference:
11th Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, Braga, Portugal, 4 Jun - 6 Jun, 2009.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Neuronal Communication
Citation:
Aires
L,
Montani
L and
Relvas
JB
(2009). Outside-in & Inside-out Signaling in Integrins: The Key Players in
Schwann Cell Biology.
Front. Neurosci.
Conference Abstract:
11th Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience.
doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.01.2009.11.140
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Received:
11 Aug 2009;
Published Online:
11 Aug 2009.
*
Correspondence:
Lina Aires, Universidade do Porto, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Porto, Portugal, lina.adriana@ibmc.up.pt