Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Myelin basic protein
Summary
Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a protein believed to be important in the process of myelination of nerves in the nervous system. The myelin sheath is a multi-layered membrane, unique to the nervous system, that functions as an insulator to greatly increase the velocity of axonal impulse conduction. MBP maintains the correct structure of myelin, interacting with the lipids in the myelin membrane.
MBP was initially sequenced in 1971 after isolation from bovine myelin membranes. MBP knockout mice called shiverer mice were subsequently developed and characterized in the early 1980s. Shiverer mice exhibit decreased amounts of CNS myelination and a progressive disorder characterized by tremors, seizures, and early death. The human gene for MBP is on chromosome 18; the protein localizes to the CNS and to various cells of the hematopoietic lineage.
The pool of MBP in the central nervous system is very diverse, with several splice variants being expressed and a large number of post-translational modifications on the protein, which include phosphorylation, methylation, deamidation, and citrullination. These forms differ by the presence or the absence of short (10 to 20 residues) peptides in various internal locations in the sequence. In general, the major form of MBP is a protein of about 18.5 Kd (170 residues).
In melanocytic cell types, MBP gene expression may be regulated by MITF.
The protein encoded by the classic MBP gene is a major constituent of the myelin sheath of oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells in the nervous system. However, MBP-related transcripts are also present in the bone marrow and the immune system. These mRNAs arise from the long MBP gene (otherwise called "Golli-MBP") that contains 3 additional exons located upstream of the classic MBP exons. Alternative splicing from the Golli and the MBP transcription start sites gives rise to 2 sets of MBP-related transcripts and gene products. The Golli mRNAs contain 3 exons unique to Golli-MBP, spliced in-frame to 1 or more MBP exons.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Related courses (3)
NX-421: Neural signals and signal processing
Understanding, processing, and analysis of signals and images obtained from the central and peripheral nervous system
BIO-480: Neuroscience: from molecular mechanisms to disease
The goal of the course is to guide students through the essential aspects of molecular neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases. The student will gain the ability to dissect the molecular basis of
BIOENG-448: Fundamentals of neuroengineering
Neuroengineering is at the frontier between neuroscience and engineering: understanding how the brain works allows developing engineering applications and therapies of high impact, while the design of
Related lectures (12)
Optimization of Neuroprosthetic Systems
Explores the optimization of neuroprosthetic systems, including sensory feedback restoration and neural stimulation strategies.
Modeling in Neuroprosthetics
Covers hybrid neural models, nerve histology, sensory feedback restoration, and deep brain stimulation in neuroprosthetics.
Glia: Structure and Function
Explores the structure and function of glial cells in the nervous system, including their roles in myelination, synaptic transmission, and memory formation.