Repair in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) depends upon the plasticity of the myelinating cells, Schwann cells, and their ability to dedifferentiate, direct axonal regrowth, re-myelinate and allow functional recovery. The ability of such an exquisitely specialised myelinating cell to revert to an immature de-differentiated cell that can direct repair is remarkable, making Schwann cells one of the very few regenerative cell types in our bodies. 

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Recent studies have shown that the de-differentiation process of Schwann cell in adult PNS is an active process that is initiate by extracellular stimuli, such as nerve injury.  We have shown recently that activation of intracellular kinases, such as p38 MAPK, play a key role in mediating the process.  p38 MAPK activation downregulates myelin protein expression and induces expression of transcription factors associted with immature Schwann cell phenotype. 

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We use both in vitro and in vivo models of perpheral nerve injury to invesitage the mechanism of Schwann cell response to injury, i.e, its reversion to the immature state.