Neurobiological aspects of glial cells: astrocyte subtypes and the 0-2A glial cell lineage.
Cell culture studies have shown the existence, in the rat CNS, of two populations of astrocytes, generally named type-1 and type-2 astrocytes, differing in a number of morphological, antigenic and functional features, and belonging to two different cell lineages. Type-2 astrocytes seem to derive from a bipotential glial progenitor cell (0-2A progenitor) which gives rise also to oligodendrocytes. Several epigenetic factors influence the proliferation and the differentiation destiny of 0-2A progenitors. Among such factors, heterotypic and homotypic glial cell interactions appear to be particularly important. Interaction with factors present on the surface of type-1 astrocytes or in their extracellular matrix leads to an increased proliferation of 0-2A progenitors and facilitates their oligodendroglial differentiation, while homotypic interactions among the progenitors induce them to differentiate into oligodendrocytes through the secretion of autocrine non mitogenic factors.
Levi
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Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Laboratorio di Patofisiologia, Sezione di Neurobiologia, Roma.
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor