Myelin is a fatty substance produced by oligodendrocytes that surrounds axons and allows propagation of action potentials along those axons in a phenomenon known as saltatory conduction.  Myelin is the major component of the "white matter" of the spinal cord.

As shown in Figure 1 (below), axons that are demyelinated have difficulty propagating an action potential, which prevents signals from reaching their intended targets [3].

It has been known since a 1961 paper by Mary and Richard Bunge that the spinal cord does, in fact, spontaneously remyelinate [4].  However, conventional wisdom continues to hold that due to the inability of oligodendrocytes to undergo mitosis, new myelinating cells in the spinal cord cannot be produced.

Most current strategies focus on restoring oligodendrocyte differentiation, or inducing differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells, to allow for the creation of new myelinating cells and the production of new myelin.

Return to BME 240