Myelin Lipid Metabolism and Its Role in Myelination and Myelin Maintenance

Overview

Journal Innovation (Camb)

Publisher Cell Press

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2023 Jan 2

PMID 36588745

Authors

Joseph A Barnes-Velez

Fatma Betul Aksoy Yasar

Jian Hu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Myelin is a specialized cell membrane indispensable for rapid nerve conduction. The high abundance of membrane lipids is one of myelin's salient features that contribute to its unique role as an insulator that electrically isolates nerve fibers across their myelinated surface. The most abundant lipids in myelin include cholesterol, glycosphingolipids, and plasmalogens, each playing critical roles in myelin development as well as function. This review serves to summarize the role of lipid metabolism in myelination and myelin maintenance, as well as the molecular determinants of myelin lipid homeostasis, with an emphasis on findings from genetic models. In addition, the implications of myelin lipid dysmetabolism in human diseases are highlighted in the context of hereditary leukodystrophies and neuropathies as well as acquired disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

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