TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuromuscular Junction Formation, Aging, and Disorders
AU - Li, Lei
AU - Xiong, Wencheng
AU - Mei, Lin
N1 - Funding Information:
This review provides an inclusive update on the discussed topics; we sincerely apologize to the authors whose original studies were not cited due to a limit on citations. Readers are referred to recent reviews (3, 4) that cover original papers. We thank Hans Brenner, Michael Granato, Rongsheng Jin, Claire Legay, Weichun Lin, Jack McMahan, Markus Ruegg, Clark Slater, Laure Strochilic, Joseph Szule, and members of the Mei labs for comments and suggestions. The work in the authors’ labs was supported in part by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (grants NS082007, NS090083 and AG051510), the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and US Department of Veterans Affairs (grant BX001020A).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/2/10
Y1 - 2018/2/10
N2 - Synapses, the fundamental unit in neuronal circuits, are critical for learning and memory, perception, thinking, and reaction. The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a synapse formed between motoneurons and skeletal muscle fibers that is covered by Schwann cells (SCs). It is essential for controlling muscle contraction. NMJ formation requires intimate interactions among motoneurons, muscles, and SCs. Deficits in NMJ formation and maintenance cause neuromuscular disorders, including congenital myasthenic syndrome and myasthenia gravis. NMJ decline occurs in aged animals and may appear before clinical presentation of motoneuron disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We review recent findings in NMJ formation, maintenance, neuromuscular disorders, and aging of the NMJ, focusing on communications among motoneurons, muscles and SCs, and underlying mechanisms.
AB - Synapses, the fundamental unit in neuronal circuits, are critical for learning and memory, perception, thinking, and reaction. The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a synapse formed between motoneurons and skeletal muscle fibers that is covered by Schwann cells (SCs). It is essential for controlling muscle contraction. NMJ formation requires intimate interactions among motoneurons, muscles, and SCs. Deficits in NMJ formation and maintenance cause neuromuscular disorders, including congenital myasthenic syndrome and myasthenia gravis. NMJ decline occurs in aged animals and may appear before clinical presentation of motoneuron disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We review recent findings in NMJ formation, maintenance, neuromuscular disorders, and aging of the NMJ, focusing on communications among motoneurons, muscles and SCs, and underlying mechanisms.
KW - Agrin-Lrp4-MuSK signaling
KW - NMJ disorders
KW - Neuromuscular junction
KW - Retrograde signaling
KW - Schwann cells
KW - Wnt signaling
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U2 - 10.1146/annurev-physiol-022516-034255
DO - 10.1146/annurev-physiol-022516-034255
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85041927172
SN - 0066-4278
VL - 80
SP - 159
EP - 188
JO - Annual Review of Physiology
JF - Annual Review of Physiology
ER -