title: How to make an oligodendrocyte.
abstract: Oligodendrocytes produce myelin, an insulating sheath required for the saltatory conduction of electrical impulses along axons. Oligodendrocyte loss results in demyelination, which leads to impaired neurological function in a broad array of diseases ranging from pediatric leukodystrophies and cerebral palsy, to multiple sclerosis and white matter stroke. Accordingly, replacing lost oligodendrocytes, whether by transplanting oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) or by mobilizing endogenous progenitors, holds great promise as a therapeutic strategy for the diseases of central white matter. In this Primer, we describe the molecular events regulating oligodendrocyte development and how our understanding of this process has led to the establishment of methods for producing OPCs and oligodendrocytes from embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, as well as directly from somatic cells. In addition, we will discuss the safety of engrafted stem cell-derived OPCs, as well as approaches by which to modulate their differentiation and myelinogenesis in vivo following transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Translational Neuromedicine and the Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA Center for Basic and Translational Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark Neuroscience Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark steven_goldman@urmc.rochester.edu.
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.affiliation: Center for Translational Neuromedicine and the Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kuypers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology
keywords: Astrocyte; Glial progenitor cell; Leukodystrophy; Multiple sclerosis; Myelin; Neural stem cell; Remyelination; Stem cell; White matter