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A role for fibroblast growth factor in oligodendrocyte development
R D McKinnon1, T Matsui, M Aranda
1Laboratory of Viral and Molecular Pathogenesis, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) control oligodendrocyte progenitor cell development. bFGF promotes proliferation and PDGF triggers migration, influencing myelination timing in the central nervous system.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Oligodendrocyte-type 2 astrocyte (O-2A) glial progenitor cells differentiate into myelin-forming oligodendrocytes.
- This differentiation process is regulated by polypeptide growth factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distinct roles of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on O-2A progenitor cell behavior.
- To understand how these growth factors influence progenitor proliferation, differentiation, receptor expression, and morphology.
Main Methods:
- Exposure of O-2A progenitor cells to bFGF and PDGF.
- Observation of cell proliferation, differentiation status, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) alpha-receptor levels, and cell morphology.
- Analysis of progenitor cell responses to sequential and simultaneous application of growth factors.
Main Results:
- bFGF promotes sustained proliferation, inhibits differentiation, and maintains high PDGF alpha-receptor expression and sensitivity.
- PDGF induces limited cell divisions, triggers progenitor cell migration, and alters cell morphology from stellate to bipolar.
- The cellular phenotype of O-2A progenitors is plastic and dynamically regulated by the presence and absence of bFGF and PDGF.
Conclusions:
- bFGF sensitizes O-2A progenitors to PDGF, potentially initiating migration into white matter tracts.
- This interaction is crucial for coordinating progenitor cell behavior prior to the onset of myelination in the central nervous system (CNS).