Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Myelin sheaths in our nervous systems are crucial for proper nerve function and health. In the brain, these sheaths are generated by cells called oligodendrocytes, which extend multiple processes to tightly wrap neuronal processes called axons. This ensheathment alters the electrical properties of these myelinated neurons, allowing them to transmit signals more efficiently. Recent rodent studies have shown that the formation of new myelin is essential for many forms of learning and memory, but it is still unclear how oligodendrocytes select which axons to myelinate. It is likely that neurons are providing signals to the oligodendrocytes that tell them which axons to myelinate and which to ignore. The goal of my postdoctoral research is to identify these molecular signals and discover how they function. To do this, I will first identify neuronal populations that are specifically myelinated following a learning task. Then, I will isolate these newly myelinated neurons by expressing a synthetic cell-cell contact sensor in neurons that will activate in response to contact from new myelin. By comparing the newly myelinated neuron population to unmyelinated neurons, I will be able to generate a list of candidate molecules that serve to direct axonal targeting for myelination. A better understanding of these factors could thus inform therapeutic interventions aimed to increase myelination in multiple sclerosis, a devastating disease characterized by loss of myelin.