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Updated: Nov 19, 2025

Progenitor-derived Oligodendrocyte Culture System from Human Fetal Brain
Published on: December 20, 2012
Cell of all trades: oligodendrocyte precursor cells in synaptic, vascular, and immune function
Leyla Anne Akay1,2, Audrey H Effenberger1,2, Li-Huei Tsai1,2
1Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Abstract:
Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are not merely a transitory progenitor cell type, but rather a distinct and heterogeneous population of glia with various functions in the developing and adult central nervous system. In this review, we discuss the fate and function of OPCs in the brain beyond their contribution to myelination. OPCs are electrically sensitive, form synapses with neurons, support blood-brain barrier integrity, and mediate neuroinflammation. We explore how sex and age may influence OPC activity, and we review how OPC dysfunction may play a primary role in numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. Finally, we highlight areas of future research.
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