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Distribution of mitochondria along small‐diameter myelinated central nervous system axons
Author(s) -
Edgar Julia M.,
McCulloch Mailis C.,
Thomson Christine E.,
Griffiths Ian R.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.21672
Subject(s) - node of ranvier , axon , axonal degeneration , central nervous system , mitochondrion , biology , nervous system , anatomy , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , myelin
Small‐diameter myelinated CNS axons are preferentially affected in multiple sclerosis (MS) and in the hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP), in which the distal axon degenerates. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of these and other disorders involving axonal degeneration. The aim of this study was to determine whether the frequency of axonal mitochondria changes along the length of small‐diameter fibers and whether there is a preferential localization to the region of the node of Ranvier. We find that mitochondrial numbers do not change along the length of a myelinated small‐diameter fiber, and, in contrast to the peripheral nervous system, there is no tendency for mitochondrial numbers to increase at the node. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.