Neural crest origin of olfactory ensheathing glia

Abstract

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are a unique class of glial cells with exceptional translational potential because of their ability to support axon regeneration in the central nervous system. Although OECs are similar in many ways to immature and nonmyelinating Schwann cells, and can myelinate large-diameter axons indistinguishably from myelination by Schwann cells, current dogma holds that OECs arise from the olfactory epithelium. Here, using fatemapping techniques in chicken embryos and genetic lineage tracing in mice, we show that OECs in fact originate from the neural crest and hence share a common developmental heritage with Schwann cells. This explains the similarities between OECs and Schwann cells and overturns the existing dogma on the developmental origin of OECs. Because neural crest stem cells persist in adult tissue, including skin and hair follicles, our results also raise the possibility that patient-derived neural crest stem cells could in the future provide an abundant and accessible source of autologous OECs for cell transplantation therapy for the injured central nervous system. chick embryo | grafting | olfactory placodes | Wnt1-Cre | Sox10

Regulation of Temporal and Spatial Organization of Newborn GnRH Neurons by IGF Signaling in Zebrafish

“…These results imply that GnRH3 neurons may arise from neural crest cells, most likely those in the medial migratory pathway. This idea is in good agreement with recent cell fatemapping studies in chicks and mice, indicating that neural crest cells give rise to a subpopulation of GnRH1 neurons and olfactory ensheathing glial cells (Barraud et al, 2010;Forni et al, 2011). Since sox10 expression is maintained in the medial migration pathway and not on the lateral pathway, it is tempting to speculate that GnRH3 neurons may be derived from sox10 mRNA-expressing neural crest cells in the medial migration pathway, while GnRH2 neurons are derived from other populations of neural crest cells.…”

Dual embryonic origin of the mammalian otic vesicle forming the inner ear

“…Contribution of NCCs to other sensory organs is still being investigated. Only recently has it been shown by lineage tracing that glial ensheathing cells and subpopulations of neurons in the 5411 RESEARCH ARTICLE Dual origin of the otic vesicle olfactory system originate from NCCs that were fate mapped using Wnt1-Cre (Barraud et al, 2010;Forni et al, 2011). We also observed Wnt1-Cre and Pax3…”

Glia in mammalian development and disease

“…In addition, transcription factors -especially Sox10 and Pax3 -and Hdac1/2 histone deacetylases, which regulate chromatin remodeling, work in concert to promote the formation of Schwann cell precursors from neural crest cells (Jacob, 2015). Neural crest cells also give rise to enteric glial cells in the gastrointestinal tract (Coelho-Aguiar et al, 2015) and olfactory ensheathing cells that reside in both the PNS and the olfactory bulb in the CNS (Barraud et al, 2010). The functions of these and their precise mechanisms of specification are still being worked out, and it will be interesting to determine similarities and differences compared with Schwann cell precursors.…”