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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: Neuroscientist. 2011 Mar 14;17(2):185–196. doi: 10.1177/1073858410383696

Figure 2.

Figure 2

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) can respond to neural impulse activity. Dorsal root ganglion neurons in cell culture were stimulated to fire action potentials while monitoring intracellular calcium by confocal microscopy. (a) Before electrical stimulation, intracellular calcium levels are low. (b) The calcium rise in neurons after stimulation indicates action potential firing. (c) OPCs (yellow arrows) respond to action potential firing with an increase in intracellular calcium. The signaling from axons to OPCs involves release of ATP and other neurotransmitters from axons. Adenosine derived from the rapid hydrolysis of ATP activates membrane receptors on OPCs that stimulate development of OPCs into mature oligodendrocytes, resulting in increased myelination of cultures in which axons were stimulated. From Stevens and others (2002). Reprinted with permission.