Abstract
A defining feature of the vertebrate nervous system is the ensheathment of axons by myelin, a multilamellar membrane containing a small group of proteins and an abundance of the galactolipid galactocerebroside (GalC) and its sulfated derivative sulfatide. Several in vitro studies have suggested that these galactolipids transduce developmental signals, facilitate protein trafficking and stabilize membranes. In addition, mice lacking the ability to synthesize GalC or sulfatide form dysfunctional and unstable myelin. These findings suggest that the galactolipids are essential components of myelin, and that functional and structural properties of myelin result from the combined contributions of galactolipids and proteins.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 126-130 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Trends in Neurosciences |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 1998 |
Funding
We thank Dr J. Dupree for providing the electron micrographs used in Fig. 3 . We also thank Drs J. Dupree and X. Gao for critical reading of the manuscript. The work on myelin galactolipids in Brian Popko's lab has been supported by NIH grant NS27336. BP is the recipient of a Research Career Development Award from the NIH (NS01637). TC is supported by an Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience