Most cited in November 2005

Field: Neuroscience & Behavior

Article Title: LINGO-1 is a component of the Nogo-66 receptor/p75 signaling complex

Authors: Mi, S;Lee, X;Shao, ZH;Thill, G;Ji, BX;Relton, J;Levesque, M;Allaire, N;Perrin,
S;Sands, B;Crowell, T;Cate, RL;McCoy, JM;Pepinsky, RB

Journal: NAT NEUROSCI, 7: 221-228, 2004

Institution: Biogen Idec, Dept Discovery Biol, 14 Cambridge Ctr, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA.

The first author, Sha Mi, answers a few questions about this month's new hot paper in the field.

“With physical disability also comes psychological disability. Perhaps if we can mend the body, we can heal the soul.”

Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

This article provides critical insights into how regeneration is inhibited in the adult
central nervous system by myelin components. We demonstrated that a novel molecule,
LINGO-1, is required to form a functional signaling complex with Nogo-66 receptor and
p75, to transduce the myelin inhibitory signal. Until this report, there was a missing
component of this signaling complex and its function could not be reconstituted. We now
have a molecular basis for understanding how axonal regeneration is inhibited.
Elucidation of this pathway opens the doors for the treatment of diseases involved in
nerve degeneration, such as spinal cord injury or brain trauma.

To read the interview, click here