NG2 cells generate oligodendrocytes and gray matter astrocytes in the spinal cord

Abstract

NG2 cells represent a unique glial cell population that is distributed widely throughout the developing and adult CNS and is distinct from astrocytes, mature oligodendrocytes and microglia. The ability of NG2 cells to differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes has been documented in vivo and in vitro. We reported recently that NG2 cells in the forebrain differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes but into a subpopulation of protoplasmic astrocytes (Zhu et al., 2008). However, the in vivo fate of NG2 cells in the spinal cord and cerebellum has remained unknown. To investigate the fate of NG2 cells in caudal central nervous system (CNS) regions in vivo, we examined the phenotype of cells that express EGFP in mice that are double transgenic for NG2CreBAC and the Cre reporter Z/EG. The fate of NG2 cells can be studied in these mice by permanent expression of EGFP in cells that have undergone Cre-mediated recombination in NG2 cells. We find that NG2 cells give rise to oligodendrocytes in both gray and white matter of the spinal cord and cerebellum, and to protoplasmic astrocytes in the gray matter of the spinal cord. However, NG2 cells do not give rise to astrocytes in the white matter of the spinal cord and cerebellum. These observations indicate that NG2 cells serve as precursor cells for oligodendrocytes and a subpopulation of protoplasmic astrocytes throughout the rostrocaudal axis of the CNS.

Original article Heterogeneity of local tissue microenvironment influences differentiation of oligodendroglial progenitors

“…with the preserved tissue organization) the paracrine signals proved to be potent to force the as troglial commitment of OPCs. There are also reports describing a similar in vivo effect, found in different CNS regions [33,56]. The observation coming from our study concerning the promotion of astroglial differentiation in cocultures with hippocampal and spinal cord sli ces are in agreement with the reports about the glial scar formation in injuries occurring to the brain and spinal cord.…”

Differential and cooperative actions of Olig1 and Olig2 transcription factors on immature proliferating cells after contusive spinal cord injury

“…4C,J). A recent study showed that NG2 positive cells can also differentiate into astrocytes in the spinal cord gray matter (Zhu et al, 2008). Therefore, we also used another OPC marker PDGFRa which has a defined function in OL development (Richardson et al, 1988), and obtained very similar results (Fig.…”

Protective and Toxic Neuroinflammation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

“…In the G93A mSOD1 transgenic mouse, activation of astrocytes occurs concomitantly with a decrease in motor neurons [75,82,83]. Although astrocyte numbers increase with disease progression, astrocytes do not proliferate like microglia, but may be derived from ependymal cells lining the central canal of the spinal cord or oligodendrocyte precursor cells [24,[84][85][86][87][88].…”