Biological Reviews, 2021 · DOI: 10.1111/brv.12675 · Published: December 17, 2020
The coordinated movement relies on nerve–muscle communication at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), a peripheral synapse. The NMJ is composed of a presynaptic motor axon terminal, a postsynaptic muscle specialization, and non-myelinating terminal Schwann cells. We integrate classic and recent evidence describing the cells and molecules that could orchestrate a dynamic ecosystem to accomplish successful NMJ regeneration.
Identifies molecules like LRP4, Dok7, MMP3, CXCL12α, and MuSK as potential therapeutic targets for enhancing NMJ regeneration and improving functional recovery after nerve injury or in motor diseases.
The molecular interplay amongst degenerating motor axons and terminal Schwann cells is a highly attractive potential target to manipulate the activation of terminal Schwann cells in order to guide incoming motor axons towards denervated skeletal muscle fibres.
NMJ regeneration strategies are not only useful after damage or degeneration, but also for muscle transplantation interventions, such as those focused on facial nerve rescue after paralysis, where successful functional NMJ regeneration must also take place.