Sensing Myelin: How a Mechanical Switch Controls Nerve Insulation

Myelination is essential for CNS function, and its disruption drives debilitating neurological disease. Yet the mechanisms regulating myelination remain poorly understood. Julia Halford will present findings establishing TMEM63A - a mechanosensitive ion channel mutated in Hypomyelinating Leukodystrophy 19 - as an evolutionarily conserved regulator of CNS myelination. Using mouse and zebrafish models alongside high-resolution 3D imaging with the Andor BC43, her work reveals how mechanical tension sensing drives axonal ensheathment, offering a new framework for treating myelin-related disorders.