A. Badache et al., AN ENDOGENOUS LECTIN AND ITS GLYCOPROTEIN LIGANDS ARE TRIGGERING BASAL AND AXON-INDUCED SCHWANN-CELL PROLIFERATION, Glycobiology, 5(4), 1995, pp. 371-383
The proliferation of Schwann cells (the myelinating cells of the perip
heral nervous system) is stimulated by the contact with axonal membran
es. It is suggested that the endogenous carbohydrate-binding protein (
lectin) cerebellar soluble lectin (CSL) bound to ligands at the surfac
e of axonal preparations is mitogenic for Schwann cells. Both autocrin
e and axon-stimulated Schwann cell proliferations seem to be dependent
on the presence of CSL and its ligands at the Schwann cell surface, a
s suggested by the effects of N-glycosylation inhibitors and anti-CSL
Fab fragments. These data suggest that CSL regulates Schwann cell prol
iferation by clustering of a few glycoprotein ligands at the cell surf
ace, consequently modulating phosphorylations.