Aging Schwann cells: mechanisms, implications, future directions

The aging peripheral nervous system (PNS) is prone to a number of disorders, including the development of neuropathies and increased regenerative failure. Although the basic mechanisms of the aging PNS are still rather murky, recent work has revealed that 'old' Schwann cells acquire a number of dysfunctions in mammals. This review will assess our current knowledge about aging Schwann cells while emphasizing where gaps exist. Indeed, as our understanding of how these peripheral glia contribute to the development, maintenance and regeneration of the PNS becomes increasingly refined, we should also turn our attention to questions of escalating importance in our rapidly greying society: how do Schwann cells change with aging, how might these changes contribute to dysfunction and disease, and what, if anything, might this tell us about the aging central nervous system?