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.
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Laboratorio di Patofisiologia, Sezione di Neurobiologia, Roma.
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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