Oligodendrocyte lineage cells: Advances in development, disease, and heterogeneity

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) originate in the ventricular zone (VZ) of the brain and spinal cord, and their primary function is to differentiate into oligodendrocytes (OLs). Studies have shown that OPCs and OLs are pathologically and physiologically heterogeneous. Previous transcriptome analyses used Bulk RNA-seq, which compares average gene expression in cells and does not allow for heterogeneity. In recent years, the development of single-cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell nuclear sequencing (snRNA-seq) has allowed us to study an individual cell. In this review, sc/snRNA-seq was used to study the different subpopulations of OL lineage cells, their developmental trajectories, and their applications in related diseases. These techniques can distinguish different subpopulations of cells, and identify differentially expressed genes in particular cell types under certain conditions, such as treatment or disease. It is of great significance to the study of the occurrence, prevention, and treatment of various diseases.