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Gliomedin

Satisfactory Essays

Within a neuron, neurofascin is bound ankyrin G, which is bound to Na+ channels. Somehow, the binding of neurofascin (expressed by axon) to gliomedin (expressed by the Schwann cell) is involved in the formation of nodes of Ranvier. Gliomedin is only expressed when the Schwann cell is in physical contact with the axon. Therefore, for the formation of nodes of Ranvier, three things must occur. First, the Schwann cell must make physical contact with the axon. Then, it must express gliomedin. Finally, gliomedin must form a complex with neurofascin (expressed by the axon). This was determined through a set of experiments. To determine if sodium channel clustering depended on glial cells, hippocampal cells were cultured in the absence of glial cells. This experiment showed that, in the absence of glial cells, Na+ channels were found along the entire length of the axon. They were not concentrated in clusters. Then, another experiment was conducted to determine if the node of Ranvier formation was contact dependent. In this experiment, the dorsal root ganglia were bathed in the extracellular fluid of Schwann cells. Again, nodes of Ranvier did not form. This showed that the node of Ranvier formation mechanism was contact dependent. Another experiment was done to determine if node of Ranvier formation depended on molecular signaling between the Schwann cells and the axon. In this experiment, Schwann cells on a myelinated axon were killed. The nodes of Ranvier disappeared. This showed that molecular signaling played a role in node of Ranvier formation. Eventually, an experiment found that ankyrin G was concentrated at nodes of Ranvier. To determine what proteins interacted with …show more content…

Node of Ranvier formation requires the simultaneous expression of neurofascin and gliomedin. The expression of gliomedin is induced by contact between the Schwann cell and the

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