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The remyelinating potential and in vitro differentiation of MOG‐expressing oligodendrocyte precursors isolated from the adult rat CNS
Author(s) -
Crang A. J.,
Gilson J. M.,
Li W.W.,
Blakemore W. F.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03606.x
Subject(s) - oligodendrocyte , in vitro , biology , neuroscience , genetics , myelin , central nervous system
There is a long‐standing controversy as to whether oligodendrocytes may be capable of cell division and thus contribute to remyelination. We recently published evidence that a subpopulation of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)‐expressing cells in the adult rat spinal cord co‐expressed molecules previously considered to be restricted to oligodendrocyte progenitors [G. Li et al . (2002) Brain Pathol ., 12, 463–471]. To further investigate the properties of MOG‐expressing cells, anti‐MOG‐immunosorted cells were grown in culture and transplanted into acute demyelinating lesions. The immunosorting protocol yielded a cell preparation in which over 98% of the viable cells showed anti‐MOG‐ and O1‐immunoreactivity; 12–15% of the anti‐MOG‐immunosorted cells co‐expressed platelet‐derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGFRα) or the A2B5‐epitope. When cultured in serum‐free medium containing EGF and FGF‐2, 15–18% of the anti‐MOG‐immunosorted cells lost anti‐MOG‐ and O1‐immunoreactivity and underwent cell division. On removal of these growth factors, cells differentiated into oligodendrocytes, or astrocytes and Schwann cells when the differentiation medium contained BMPs. Transplantation of anti‐MOG‐immunosorted cells into areas of acute demyelination immediately after isolation resulted in the generation of remyelinating oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. Our studies indicate that the adult rat CNS contains a significant number of oligodendrocyte precursors that express MOG and galactocerebroside, molecules previously considered restricted to mature oligodendrocytes. This may explain why myelin‐bearing oligodendrocytes were considered capable of generating remyelinating cells. Our study also provides evidence that the adult oligodendrocyte progenitor can be considered as a source of the Schwann cells that remyelinate demyelinated CNS axons following concurrent destruction of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes.