Background information
Gliomedin is a 551 amino acid protein encoded by the human gene GLDN. Gliomedin is thought to play a role in the formation of the nodes of Ranvier along myelinated axons. Accumulation of Na+ channels at the nodes of Ranvier is a prerequisite for saltatory conduction. In peripheral nerves, clustering of these channels along the axolemma is regulated by myelinating Schwann cells through an unknown mechanism. Gliomedin is a glial ligand for Neurofascin and NrCAM, two axonal immunoglobulin cell adhesion molecules that are associated with Na+ channels at the nodes of Ranvier. Gliomedin is expressed by myelinating Schwann cells and accumulates at the edges of each myelin segment during development, where it aligns with the forming nodes. Gliomedin is a single-pass type II membrane protein localized to the nodes of Ranvier and is specifically expressed in spinal cord, brain, placenta and sciatic nerve. It is more abundant in peripheral than central nervous system.
