Sensing Myelin: How a Mechanical Switch Controls Nerve Insulation

Sensing Myelin: How a Mechanical Switch Controls Nerve Insulation

Time: 11:00 a.m. PST | 2:00 p.m. EST

Myelination is critical for healthy nerve function, yet the mechanisms that control its formation remain poorly understood. In this webinar, Julia Halford will share how TMEM63A, a mechanosensitive ion channel linked to Hypomyelinating Leukodystrophy 19 (HLD19), acts as a key regulator of CNS myelination. Using advanced 3D imaging on the Andor BC43 spinning disk confocal microscope, her team uncovered how TMEM63A senses mechanical tension during early myelin formation and how disease-associated mutations disrupt this process. These findings provide new insights into myelin biology and potential therapeutic strategies for demyelinating diseases.

You will learn about:

• TMEM63A's role as a mechanical tension sensor during the earliest stages of CNS myelination.
• How HLD19-associated mutations disrupt TMEM63A trafficking and contribute to disease.
• How the Andor BC43 enabled high-resolution imaging of TMEM63A localization and function in complex tissue samples.
• Why mechanosensitive regulation of myelin may present new opportunities for treating demyelinating disorders.

A live Q&A session will follow the presentation, hosted by Dr Julia Halford, Postdoctoral Fellow in Murthy lab at the Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University and Lynsey Hamilton, Market Development Specialist at Oxford Instruments .