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Phorbol ester enhances morphological differentiation of oligodendrocytes in culture
Author(s) -
Yong V. W.,
Sekiguchi S.,
Kim M. W.,
Kim S. U.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.490190203
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , phorbol ester , cell culture , chemistry , cellular differentiation , biology , biochemistry , signal transduction , genetics , protein kinase c , gene
The effects of phorbol esters have been attributed to the activation of the enzyme protein kinase C. While much has been described for the actions of phorbol esters on neurons and synaptic transmission, sparse data exist on the effects of phorbol esters on oligodendrocytes, the cells that make and maintain myelin in the central nervous system. In this report, we show that 10 and 100 nM of a phorbol ester, 4β–phorbol–12, 13–dibutyrate, extensively enhanced process formation by cultured bovine oligodendrocytes. This effect was blocked by two inhibitors of protein kinase C, sodium heparin and polymixin B. We propose the hypothesis that activation of protein kinase C is an important process that leads to the differentiation of oligodendrocytes and the formation of myelin in vivo.