Roles of NG2-glia in ischemic stroke.
Recent studies have shown that a widely distributed class of glial cells, termed NG2-glia, engages in rapid signaling with surrounding neurons through direct synaptic contacts in the developing and mature central nervous system (CNS). This unique glial cell group has a typical function of proliferating and differentiating into oligodendrocytes during early development of the brain, which is crucial to axon myelin formation. Therefore, NG2-glia are also called oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). In vitro and in vivo studies reveal that NG2-glia expressing receptors and ion channels demonstrate functional significance for rapid signaling with neuronal synapses and modulation of neuronal activities in both physiological and pathological conditions. Although it is well known that NG2-glia play an important role in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, little is known about how NG2-glia or OPCs impact neurons and brain function following ischemic injury. This review summarizes recent progress on the roles of NG2-glia in ischemic stroke and illustrates new approaches for targeting NG2-glia in the brain to treat this disease.
Discipline of Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Fei-Er
FE
Song
Department of Clinical Medicine, Research-Based Learning training program (RBL2015-29), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Jia-Lv
JL
Huang
Department of Clinical Medicine, Research-Based Learning training program (RBL2015-29), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Si-Han
SH
Lin
Department of Clinical Medicine, Research-Based Learning training program (RBL2015-29), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Shuo
S
Wang
Discipline of Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Guo-Fen
GF
Ma
Discipline of Neuroscience and Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Xiao-Ping
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0908-8091
XP
Tong
D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D000073637:Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
NG2-glia; ischemia; oligodendrocyte precursor cells; stroke