Axons, nerve cell projections that carry electrical signals from one cell to another, may look more like pearls on a string than the cylindrical tubes they are commonly believed to resemble, according to a study, which demonstrated that interfering with the formation of pearl-like structures impaired the transmission of electric signals.
Axon pearling is a well-characterized phenomenon that occurs in neurons under stress, including degenerating neurons in neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. People with Parkinson’s also show changes in brain signaling.
“Understanding the structure of axons is important for understanding brain cell signaling,” Shigeki Watanabe, PhD, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and senior author of the study, said in a university news story. “Axons are the cables that connect our brain tissue, enabling learning, memory and other functions.”
The results were described in the study, “Membrane mechanics dictate axonal pearls-on-a-string morphology and function,” published in Nature Neuroscience.
To learn more, read the full article: https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/news/axon-structure-different-shape-assumed-study-finds/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1QgBYdH1S1J2PlrXdlL0-P-_eAP7ozPPnFUsXSCr9ZiSnvf28uPwV_m0w_aem_fI8cnyQAqYRC6UiLsIVLJg
Source: Parkinson’s News Today
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