Figure 8.

Model for ADAMTS4 function in NG2 cleavage and enhancement of oligodendrocyte differentiation. A, In the absence of ADAMTS4, NG2 enriches PDGF-A on the OPCs surface and enhances its binding and activation of PDGFRα signaling pathway (ERK phosphorylation) that inhibits OL differentiation. B, Extracellular ADAMTS4 cleaves the NG2 protein and reduces the binding of the extracellular growth factor PDGFAA to the receptor PDGFRα and subsequent ERK phosphorylation, facilitating OL differentiation and myelination.