Oligodendroglia Generate Vascular Mural Cells and Neurons in the Adult Mouse Brain

Oligodendroglia encompass oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and oligodendrocytes (OLs). In the grey matter of the cortex, nearly all OPCs divide slowly, yet they do not differentiate solely into mature OLs, leaving the exact role of these OPCs in the grey matter enigmatic. Oligodendroglia were traced using the sex-determining region Y-related high mobility group-box 10 (Sox10) Cre-ER^T2 reporter mice. We compared the effect of tamoxifen dissolved in different solvents on the fate of Sox10 cells. We also compared the effect of tamoxifen dosage on the fate of Sox10 cells. The differentiation of labeled red fluorescent protein (RFP) cells was analyzed using immunofluorescence staining. Two groups of RFP cells, type A Sox10 (Sox10-A) cells and type B Sox10 (Sox10-B) cells, were identified in the cortex, striatum, hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus. Sox10-A cells differentiate into platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β+, CD13+ pericytes, and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain 11+ smooth muscle cells when the mice received ethanol or high-dose tamoxifen. Sox10-B cells transform into glutamatergic neurons when the mice received high-dose tamoxifen. Sox10-B cells include perineuronal OPCs and OLs. This investigation provides evidence that a substantial proportion of oligodendroglia in the grey matter serve as mural cell precursors and neuronal precursors. These two phenomena may contribute to our understanding of the fate of oligodendroglia.