Abstract
Electron microscopy of peripherical nerve fibres in recent years has resulted in the establishment of the general patterns of organisation of both unmyelinated and myelinated nerve fibres (Gasser 1952, 1954, 1956; Geren 1954, 1956; Robertson 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959) . From the relationships between the satellite Schwann cells and axons in myelinated fibres, it is possible to make certain deductions about the molecular structure of Schwann cell membranes. These depend on a correlation of electron microscope findings with polarization optical and X-ray diffraction evidence. It is the purpose of this short communication to review the findings related to this topic and to present certain evidence suggesting that the pattern of structure characterizing Schwann cell membranes is similar for many, perhaps all cell membranes and membranous cell organelles. Certain studies of lipid model systems are presented since they aid in the interpretation of electron micrographs of membranes.
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Robertson, J.D. (1960). A molecular theory of cell membrane structure. In: Bargmann, W., Peters, D., Wolpers, C. (eds) Verhandlungen Band II / Biologisch-Medizinischer Teil. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-22058-0_32
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