Open AccessEfficient Serum‐Free Derivation of Oligodendrocyte Precursors from Neural Stem Cell‐Enriched Cultures
Author(s) -
Rao Rajesh C.,
Boyd Justin,
Padmanabhan Raji,
Chenoweth Josh G.,
McKay Ronald D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1634/stemcells.2007-0205
Subject(s) - biology , oligodendrocyte , neural stem cell , stem cell , platelet derived growth factor receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , platelet derived growth factor , progenitor cell , stem cell factor , growth factor , nestin , central nervous system , neuroscience , receptor , myelin , biochemistry
Oligodendrocytes derived in the laboratory from stem cells have been proposed as a treatment for acute and chronic injury to the central nervous system. Platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor α (PDGFRα) signaling is known to regulate oligodendrocyte precursor cell numbers both during development and adulthood. Here, we analyze the effects of PDGFRα signaling on central nervous system (CNS) stem cell‐enriched cultures. We find that AC133 selection for CNS progenitors acutely isolated from the fetal cortex enriches for PDGF‐AA‐responsive cells. PDGF‐AA treatment of fibroblast growth factor 2‐expanded CNS stem cell‐enriched cultures increases nestin + cell number, viability, proliferation, and glycolytic rate. We show that a brief exposure to PDGF‐AA rapidly and efficiently permits the derivation of O4 + oligodendrocyte‐lineage cells from CNS stem cell‐enriched cultures. The derivation of oligodendrocyte‐lineage cells demonstrated here may support the effective use of stem cells in understanding fate choice mechanisms and the development of new therapies targeting this cell type. S TEM C ELLS 2009;27:116–125