The proper transmission of nerve signals along body nerves
requires an insulation layer, named myelin sheath. To be
efficient this sheath is designed to have a certain thickness
and Swiss researchers from the ETH Zurich have now discovered
that proteins Dlg1 and PTEN interact to control the myelin
sheath thickness. Recently published in Science their discovery
improves our understanding of Charcot-Marie-Tooth
neurodegenerative diseases and open a new avenue in the
potential treatment of these incurable and debilitating
diseases. A crucial factor in the transmission of nerve signals
is the myelin layer - also known as the myelin sheath - which
surrounds the axons. Axons are nerve cell projections through
which the signals are relayed; the myelin sheath is formed by
the Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, i.e. in the
nervous system outside the brain and spinal chord. If it is too
thick or too thin, the signal transmission slows down; if the
myelin sheath becomes too badly damaged, it can cause disea