Neurofascin 155 (D7B6O) Rabbit mAb #15035

Myelinated axons contain un-myelinated gaps called nodes of Ranvier. These regularly spaced gaps are critical for the proper propagation and rapid conduction of nerve impulses in the central and peripheral nervous system (1). The structure and organization of the nodes of Ranvier is dictated by interaction between the axon and glial cells (2). Voltage-gated sodium channels concentrated at the nodes and potassium channels clustered at the paranodes are responsible for propagation of the action potentials (3,4). Other proteins that contribute to the architecture and function of the nodes of Ranvier include βIV spectrin (5), ankyrin-G (6), and the L1 cell adhesion molecules, neurofascin and NrCAM (7,8).
Alternative splicing produces several neurofascin isoforms that differ in temporal and spatial expression. Neurofascin 186 is expressed in axons where it is concentrated at the nodes. Research studies indicate that neurofascin 186 is responsible for nodal assembly and clustering of sodium channels (9). Neurofascin 155 is expressed in glial cells and is localized to myelin paranodes. Interactions between neurofascin 155 and the contactin-associated protein (Caspr) tether the myelin sheath to the axon (10). N-linked glycosylation results in two forms of neurofascin 155 (high and low) that are differentially expressed during development (11).