Schwann cell markers
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A guide to Schwann cell markers throughout development.
Here we review the most common markers for different Schwann cell stages throughout the development, so you can quickly choose the right marker for your stage.
What are Schwann cells?
Schwann cells are the myelin-producing cells of the peripheral nervous system, where they form the myelin sheath around axons. Their function is equivalent to that of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system.
Schwann cell markers throughout the development
| Schwann cell stage | Suggested markers |
| Schwann cell precursor | SOX10, GAP43, BLBP, MPZ, Dhh, P75NTR |
| Myelinating Schwann cells | SOX10, S100, EGR2, MBP, MPZ |
| Non-myelinating Schwann cells | SOX10, GAP43, S100, NCAM, P75NTR |
Common Schwann cell markers
Myelin protein zero (MPZ)
A structural component of the myelin sheath.
Rat Schwann cells stained with anti-myelin protein zero (ab31851).
NCAM
A glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion, expressed by non-myelinating Schwann cells.
Zebrafish embryo stained with anti-NCAM (green) (ab9272).
GAP43
A cytoplasmic protein expressed by non-myelinating glia.
Rat spinal cord (ventral horn) stained with GAP43 (ab16053).
S100
Homodimeric protein that is often found in cells derived from the neural crest.
Rat Schwann cells stained with anti-S100 (ab4066).
P75NTR
The p75 NGF receptor (also known as p75 neurotrophin receptor or p75NTR) binds nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as neurotrophins 3 and 4.
PC12 cells stained with anti-p75 NGF antibody (ab52987).
References
- Dechant, G. & Barde, Y.-A. The neurotrophin receptor p75NTR: novel functions and implications for diseases of the nervous system. Nat. Neurosci. 5, 1131–1136 (2002).
- Jessen, K. R. & Mirsky, R. The origin and development of glial cells in peripheral nerves. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 6, 671–82 (2005).
- Jessen, K. R., Mirsky, R. & Lloyd, A. C. Schwann Cells: Development and Role in Nerve Repair. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Biol. 7, a020487 (2015).
- Kuhlbrodt, K., Herbarth, B., Sock, E., Hermans-Borgmeyer, I. & Wegner, M. Sox10, a novel transcriptional modulator in glial cells. J. Neurosci. 18, 237–250 (1998).
- Liu, Z. et al. Specific marker expression and cell state of Schwann cells during culture in vitro. PLoS One 10, e0123278 (2015).