Oligodendrocyte Precursor (OPC)

NG2 cell

The fourth major glial class, and the only glia that receive bona fide synaptic input from neurons, allowing activity to drive adaptive myelination throughout life.

Function

Serve as a reservoir for generating new oligodendrocytes throughout life. Crucially, OPCs are the only glia to receive genuine synaptic contacts from neurons, with quantal kinetics indistinguishable from neuronal synapses. Activity-driven synaptic input to OPCs drives adaptive myelination that underlies motor learning and cognitive plasticity well into adulthood.

Morphology

A small soma with numerous fine, radially-symmetric processes. Retains proliferative capacity, the major dividing cell population in the adult brain.

Specification

  • Receptors: AMPA; GABA-A
  • Location: Throughout the CNS parenchyma.
  • Firing: Non-spiking
  • Markers: PDGFRA; CSPG4/NG2; OLIG2; SOX10; VCAN; NKX2-2
  • Developmental origin: Neural tube
  • Disease: Glioma; Multiple Sclerosis
  • Cell Ontology: CL:0002453

References

  1. Bergles DE, Roberts JD, Somogyi P, & Jahr CE (2000). Glutamatergic synapses on oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the hippocampus.. Nature 405: 187–191 PMID 10821275
  2. Gibson EM et al. (2014). Neuronal activity promotes oligodendrogenesis and adaptive myelination in the mammalian brain.. Science 344: 1252304 PMID 24727982

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