Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Cell Surface Molecules in Neural Cell-Cell Recognition, Myelin Maintenance, and Axon Regeneration

The Schnaar laboratory studies cell-cell interactions in the brain that contribute to axon health and control axon regeneration. Our recent work focuses on the key interface between axons and myelin, the multi-layered membrane that ensheathes axons and provides them with insulation and support. Knowledge of the molecular landscape at the nerve cell surface informs us about interacting molecules that regulate axon-myelin interactions. We discovered that members of one predominant axon cell surface molecular family, gangliosides, are ligands for an important myelin receptor, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). The MAG-ganglioside