Four Seasons for Schwann Cell Biology, Revisiting Key Periods: Development, Homeostasis, Repair, and Aging

Abstract

Like the seasons of the year, all natural things happen in stages, going through adaptations when challenged, and Schwann cells are a great example of that. During maturation, these cells regulate several steps in peripheral nervous system development. The Spring of the cell means the rise and bloom through organized stages defined by time-dependent regulation of factors and microenvironmental influences. Once matured, the Summer of the cell begins: a high energy stage focused on maintaining adult homeostasis. The Schwann cell provides many neuron-glia communications resulting in the maintenance of synapses. In the peripheral nervous system, Schwann cells are pivotal after injuries, balancing degeneration and regeneration, similarly to when Autumn comes. Their ability to acquire a repair phenotype brings the potential to reconnect axons to targets and regain function. Finally, Schwann cells age, not only by growing old, but also by imposed environmental cues, like loss of function induced by pathologies. The Winter of the cell presents as reduced activity, especially regarding their role in repair; this reflects on the regenerative potential of older/less healthy individuals. This review gathers essential information about Schwann cells in different stages, summarizing important participation of this intriguing cell in many functions throughout its lifetime.

A bibliometric analysis: Current status and frontier trends of Schwann cells in neurosciences

“…SCs possess an autocrine survival circuit. After nerve injuries, these SCs lost contact with axons, are transformed into cells that specifically support regeneration, which is a key step in the regenerative role of repair SCs in the PNS ( Gomez-Sanchez et al, 2017 ; Sardella-Silva et al, 2021 ). The distal nerve of the injured site occurs disintegration after nerve injuries, called Wallerian degeneration, which was first studied by Waller (1851) .…”

“…SCs possess an autocrine survival circuit. After nerve injuries, these SCs lost contact with axons, are transformed into cells that specifically support regeneration, which is a key step in the regenerative role of repair SCs in the PNS (Gomez-Sanchez et al, 2017;Sardella-Silva et al, 2021).…”

Mechanism underlying linezolid-induced peripheral neuropathy in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

“…SCs account for 70%-80% of the components of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) (Chen, Piao, & Bonaldo, 2015;Sardella-Silva, Mietto, & Ribeiro-Resende, 2021) and spiral around the axon to form a tight myelin membrane (Della-Flora Nunes et al, 2021;Zotter et al, 2022). When peripheral nerve injury occurs, enhanced autophagy of SCs can maintain microtubule stability and promote peripheral nerve regeneration and functional recovery in the adult nervous system (Bankston et al, 2019;Li et al, 2020;Reed et al, 2020;Hu et al, 2022).…”

Development and In Vitro Differentiation of Schwann Cells

“…Schwann cells are the most abundant cell type in the peripheral nerves and the best studied type of peripheral glia cells [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. They are most well known for their function of wrapping myelin sheaths around peripheral axons, but the continuously increasing knowledge about Schwann cell biology has revealed a plethora of additional roles besides myelination and neurotrophic support [ 4 ], such as regulation of sensory perception [ 5 , 6 ], synaptic communication [ 7 , 8 ], and immune response [ 9 , 10 ]. They are also important in nerve repair, thus contributing to the regenerative ability of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) [ 11 , 12 ].…”