Schwann cells are the principal glial cells of the peripheral nervous system, and their development into myelinating glia is critically dependent on MEK/ERK signaling. Ets-domain transcription factors (Etv1, Etv4, Etv5) are common downstream effectors of MEK/ERK signalling, but so far, only Etv1 has been ascribed a role in Schwann cell development, and only in non-myelinating cells. Here, we examined the role of Etv5, which is expressed in Schwann cell precursors, including neural crest cells

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... eural crest cells and satellite glia, in Schwann cell lineage development. We analysed Etv5tm1Kmm mutants (designated Etv5-/-) at embryonic days (E) 12.5, E15.5 and E18.5, focusing on dorsal root ganglia. At these embryonic stages, satellite glia (glutamine synthetase) and Schwann cell markers, including transcriptional regulators (Sox10, Sox9, Tfap2a, Pou3f1) and non-transcription factors (Ngfr, BFABP, GFAP), were expressed in the DRG of wild-type and Etv5-/- embryos. Furthermore, by E18.5, quantification of Sox10+ Schwann cells and NeuN+ neurons revealed that these cells were present in normal numbers in the Etv5-/- dorsal root ganglia. We next performed peripheral nerve injuries at postnatal day 21, revealing that Etv5-/- mice had an enhanced injury response, generating more Sox10+ Schwann cells compared to wild-type animals at five days post-injury. Thus, while Etv5 is not required for Schwann cell development, possibly due to genetic redundancy with Etv1 and/or Etv4, Etv5 is an essential negative regulator of the peripheral nerve injury repair response.