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. 2021 Feb 4;9:618052. doi: 10.3389/fped.2021.618052

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Copyright © 2021 Shaw, Crombie, Palliser and Hirst.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

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Characterizing oligodendrocytes throughout the lineage. Oligodendrocytes originate from pre-progenitor (OPP) neural cells and are committed to the oligodendrocyte pathway under the influence of NKx2.2, Olig1/2, and Sox10. Once committed to the pathway, stage specific markers of oligodendrocytes allow for characterization of the lineage. Progenitor (OPC) and pre-oligodendrocytes (Pre-OL) feature stage-specific growth factor receptors (platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha; PDGFRα), surface antigens (neural/glial antigen 2; NG2) and cell adhesion molecules (polysialylated-neural cell adhesion molecule; PSA-NCAM), whilst premyelinating oligodendrocytes possess enzymes for lipid synthesis (galactocerebrosidase; GalC/O1). Finally, myelinating oligodendrocytes are characterized by the presence of myelin proteins such as myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), and proteolipid protein (PLP). Oligodendrocytes at this final stage of the lineage are the only ones capable of producing myelin and must also have contact with neuronal axons to perform this role. Figure created with BioRender.com.