Recruitment of endogenous CNS stem cells for regeneration in demyelinating disease.

Abstract

Demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), are responsible for a significant portion of the neurological disability burden worldwide, especially in young adults. Demyelination can be followed by a spontaneous regenerative process called remyelination, in which new myelin sheaths are restored to denuded axons. However, in chronic demyelinating disease such as MS, this process becomes progressively less efficient. This chapter reviews the biology of remyelination and the rationale and strategies by which it can be enhanced therapeutically in acquired demyelinating disease.