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- Title
The sudden appearance of myelin in vertebrate evolution: An explanation.
- Abstract
Myelin, the layers of compacted membrane wrapped around axons, is a crucial component of vertebrate nervous systems that greatly increases the speed of information processing. The evolution of myelin has long been a mystery, as it appears suddenly in fully formed state in vertebrates without any clear precursor. However, new research suggests that myelin is the result of ancient retroviral infection that inserted noncoding DNA into the genome of vertebrates millions of years ago. This discovery highlights the power of retrotransposons, remnants of ancient retroviral sequences, in driving evolution and shaping complex cellular mechanisms like myelin.
- Subjects
MYELIN; PERIPHERAL nervous system; OLIGODENDROGLIA; MYELIN proteins; VERTEBRATES; CENTRAL nervous system; SUDDEN death
- Publication
Neuroscientist, 2024, Vol 30, Issue 3, p281
- ISSN
1073-8584
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/10738584241250303