Molecular mechanisms of cellular interactions in peripheral nerve regeneration

The peripheral nervous system, as opposed to the central nervous system, ha s the intrinsic capacity to regenerate. It was recognized long ago that thi s can be achieved only after an extensive clean-up procedure, the so-called Wallerian degeneration, in which myelin debris is removed and a suitable e nvironment for growing axons is generated. Wallerian degeneration and the r egeneration process itself both depend on direct cellular interactions as w ell as on long-range signals between all participating cell types. Elucidat ing the nature and functional consequences of these signals is a main goal in understanding peripheral nerve repair. Curr Opin Neurol 14:635-639. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.