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SpL201: A conditionally immortalized Schwann cell precursor line that generates myelin
Author(s) -
Lobsiger Christian S.,
Smith Peter M.,
Buchstaller Johanna,
Schweitzer Beat,
Franklin Robin J.M.,
Suter Ueli,
Taylor Verdon
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
glia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.954
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1098-1136
pISSN - 0894-1491
DOI - 10.1002/glia.1093
Subject(s) - schwann cell , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , myelin , myelin basic protein , cell culture , oligodendrocyte , neuregulin , cell , immortalised cell line , cellular differentiation , cell type , neuroscience , central nervous system , signal transduction , genetics , gene
Dramatic progress has been made over recent years toward the elucidation of the mechanisms regulating lineage determination and cell survival in the developing peripheral nervous system. However, our understanding of Schwann cell development is limited. This is partly due to the difficulties in culturing primary Schwann cell precursor cells, the earliest developmental stage of the Schwann cell lineage defined to date. Both the inability to maintain cultured Schwann cell precursor cells in an undifferentiated state and the technical difficulties involved in their isolation have hampered progress. We have conditionally immortalized rat Schwann cell precursor cells using a retrovirally encoded EGFR/neu fusion protein to circumvent these problems and to generate a source of homogeneous cells. The resulting SpL201 cell line expresses p75 and nestin, two proteins expressed by neural crest‐derived cells, as well as peripheral myelin protein 22, protein zero, and Oct‐6 as markers of the Schwann cell lineage. When cultured in EGF‐containing medium, the SpL201 cells proliferate and maintain an undifferentiated, Schwann cell precursor cell‐like state. The cell line is dependent on EGF for survival but can differentiate into early Schwann cell‐like cells in response to exogenous factors. Like primary rat Schwann cells, SpL201 cells upregulate Oct‐6 and myelin gene expression in response to forskolin treatment. Furthermore, the SpL201 cell line can form myelin in the presence of axons in vitro and is capable of extensively remyelinating a CNS white matter lesion in vivo. Thus, this cell line provides a valuable and unique tool to study the Schwann cell lineage, including differentiation from the Schwann cell precursor cell stage through to myelination. GLIA 36:31–47, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.