Notch-Delta信号系统与神经胶质细胞的发育

Notch-Delta信号系统是一个在生物进化中起重要作用的古老而保守的机制。通过Notch受体-Delta配体的相互作用产生旁侧抑制效应,控制细胞对各种内、外源性发育信息产生反应的能力,最终导致细胞特异性分化命运的决定,是一种影响胚胎发育、器官形成和形态发生的普遍机制,是近年来发育学、分子生物学、遗传学等的研究热点。最近发现,除了抑制神经元分化以外,Notch鄄Delta系统还可以促进神经胶质细胞的产生,本文对Notch鄄Delta及其在神经胶质细胞发生发育中的研究进展作一综述。     

人胎儿中枢神经系统星形胶质细胞形态发育的观察

为观察人胎儿中枢神经系统星形胶质细胞形态发育。用胶质原纤维酸性蛋白抗体进行免疫组织化学染色。结果表明；１．以颈段脊髓，脑干，海马和小脑蚓部于胚胎２５周其ＧＦＡＰ染色强度，细胞密度接近出生时水平。而此时期大脑皮层Ａｓｔ密度约为出生时的四分之一。２．在同一胎龄ＣＮＳ的不同部位，ＧＦＡＰ阳性Ａｓｔ分布不均匀。３．Ａｓｔ不仅在毛细胞血管周围，而且在小血管周围密度大染色深，环绕血管呈辐射状排列。     

星形胶质细胞的神经干细胞特性

胶质细胞是脑内数量最多的细胞,它与神经元之间的相互联系是在发育期就精确建立的。不同神经元的功能已有较深入的研究,与之相比,胶质细胞仍是非常神秘的细胞,特别是星形胶质细胞,除了对神经元提供重要的结构、代谢、营养支持外,它与神经元之间复杂的相互联系仍不清楚。本文将对星形胶质细胞作为神经干细胞／祖细胞这一最新发现作一综述。     

星形胶质细胞条件培养液对缺氧损伤神经元的保护作用

为了探讨星形胶质细胞条件培养液(ACM)对缺氧损伤神经元的保护作用,本实验将新生的KM小鼠的皮层星形胶质细胞分离、纯化并传代培养第三代第5d后,将星形胶质细胞(Ast)条件培养液,加入到缺氧损伤的神经元细胞培养液中,观测其对缺氧神经元的存活及其合成和释放一氧化氮(NO)、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)和胞膜ATP酶(ATPase)的影响。结果显示:10%和20%ACM对神经元存活有明显促进作用;与对照组相比,20%ACM还有效地减少了缺氧神经元NO、LDH的生成和分泌,保护和提高了ATPase的活性。以上结果提示ACM促进缺氧神经元的存活,其机制可能与减少NO、LDH合成释放及保护细胞膜上ATPase的活性有关。     

星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡促进大鼠神经干细胞向神经元的分化

背景：神经干细胞具有向神经元分化的潜能,已有报道表示星形胶质细胞与神经元存在密切联系,而有关星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡是否具有促进神经干细胞向神经元高效分化的作用,仍未见相关报道。目的：探索星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡诱导促进神经干细胞向神经元分化的可能性。方法：(1)体外培养大鼠神经干细胞及星形胶质细胞,行细胞形态及免疫荧光鉴定,进一步提取星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡,并通过透射电镜、粒径分析、Western blot等方法进行鉴定;(2)将第3代神经干细胞分2组,分别加入同体积的PBS、星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡(质量浓度为1 mg/mL)干预6 d;(3)通过免疫荧光、qRT-PCR和Western blot检测星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡干预后神经元标志物的表达水平。结果与结论：(1)显微镜下神经干细胞形态为球形,以细胞团状分布,免疫荧光示特征性标志物CD133、Nestin呈高表达水平;(2)显微镜下星形胶质细胞形态为不规则星状,且免疫荧光示特征性标志物胶质纤维酸性蛋白呈高表达水平;(3)星形胶质细胞来源细胞外囊泡形态近似圆形或椭圆形杯状,动态光粒子散射仪显示直径在10-200 n...     

干细胞与神经元、神经胶质细胞的分化

神经细胞与神经胶质细胞的分化是发育神经生物学中颇具挑战性问题，目前仍有许多问题有待探索与解决。对这一领域的研究作一回顾与总结，有助该课题的深入研究。     

小胶质细胞与大脑发育和神经疾病

小胶质细胞是中枢神经系统中的巨噬细胞。在大脑的不同发育时期和不同病理生理状态，具有不同的形态和功能。既可以起到防御和促进神经元再生修复的作用，也可以介导病理损害的发生，与ＡＤ、ＭＳ、ＡＩＤＳ等大脑疾病密切相关。     

小胶质细胞与脑缺血

自从1891年Nissl首次描述小胶质细胞以来,它一直受到人们的重视,学术争论不断,现在人们注意到小胶质细胞作为中枢神经系统固有的免疫效应细胞参与其免疫反应和病理过程。研究发现小胶质细胞在脑缺血后异常活跃,脑缺血所激发的小胶质细胞反应极为复杂,现将小胶质细胞在脑缺血病理过程中形态变化和保护作用等作一综述。     

CNTF及其受体在不同类型星形胶质细胞中的表达

目的：研究CNTF及其受体在不同类型星形胶质细胞中的表达分布。方法：星形胶质细胞的原代分离培养结合地高辛标记的RNA探针及寡核苷酸探原原位杂交技术。结果：0－2A前体细胞和纤维型星形胶质细胞中CNTFmRNA表达,大多数原浆型星形胶质细胞CNTF表达低,只有约5％的原浆型星形胶质细胞群可见较高,CNTNFmRNA的表达。原浆型与纤维型星形胶质细胞中CNTFRαmRNA表达相同。结论CNTF在不同类型星形胶质细胞中的表达水平不同。但其受体的表达水平无差别。     

Regulation of oligodendrocyte development in the vertebrate CNS

The vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) contains two major classes of macroglial cells, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Oligodendrocytes are responsible for the formation of myelin in the central nervous system, while the functions of astrocytes are more diverse and less well established. Recent studies have provided new insights into when, where and how these different classes of cell arise during CNS development. The founder cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage initially arise in distinct regions of the ventricular zone during early development as the result of local signals including sonic hedgehog. In the spinal cord, oligodendrocyte precursors appear to share a developmental lineage with motor neurons, although they may also develop from restricted glial precursors. Immature oligodendrocyte precursors are highly migratory. They migrate from their site of origin to developing white matter tracts using a variety of guidance cues including diffusible chemorepellents. The majority of oligodendrocyte precursor proliferation occurs in developing white matter as a result of the local expression of mitogenic signals. Oligodendrocyte precursor cell proliferation is regulated by a number of distinct growth factors that act at distinct stages in the lineage and whose activity is modulated by synergy with other molecules including chemokines. The final matching of oligodendrocyte and axon number is accomplished through a combination of local regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and cell death. Not all oligodendrocyte precursors differentiate during development, and the adult CNS contains a significant population of precursors. Understanding the regulation of oligodendrogenesis will facilitate the use of these endogenous precursors to enhance repair in a variety of pathological conditions.     

少突胶质细胞发生过程中S-100β表达的变化

目的:探讨少突胶质细胞发生过程中3个主要不同阶段S-100β的表达.方法:采用振荡法和差速贴壁法,获得纯化的O-2A祖细胞;双重免疫荧光细胞化学显色法观察S-100β在少突胶质细胞发生过程中的表达情况.结果:O-2A祖细胞在含有碱性成纤维细胞因子(10 ng/ml)和血小板源性生长因子(10 ng/ml)培养液中培养48 h,不表达S-100β;换成含有3'碘甲状腺原氨酸(30 ng/ml)培养液继续培养24 h,S-100β免疫反应呈现阳性.前少突胶质细胞、少突胶质细胞中表达S-100β.结论:少突胶质细胞发生过程中S-100β的表达始于O-2A祖细胞过渡到前少突胶质细胞之间,可能与其从多潜能分化阶段过渡到形态学上的分化阶段有关.     

Lipopolysaccharide-activated microglia induce death of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and impede their development

Damage to oligodendrocyte (OL) progenitor cells (OPCs) and hypomyelination are two hallmark features of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), the most common form of brain damage in premature infants. Clinical and animal studies have linked the incidence of PVL to maternal infection/inflammation, and activated microglia have been proposed to play a central role. However, the precise mechanism of how activated microglia adversely affects the survival and development of OPCs is still not clear. Here we demonstrate that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia are deleterious to OPCs, that is, impeding OL lineage progression, reducing the production of myelin basic protein (MBP), and mediating OPC death. We further demonstrate that LPS-activated microglia mediate OPC death by two distinct mechanisms in a time-dependent manner. The early phase of cell damage occurs within 24 h after LPS treatment, which is mediated by nitric oxide (NO)-dependent oxidative damage and is prevented by N^G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), a general inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. The delayed cell death is evident at 48 h after LPS treatment, is mediated by cytokines, and is prevented by blocking the activity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and pro-nerve growth factor (proNGF), but not by l-NAME. Furthermore, microglia-derived insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) were significantly suppressed by LPS, and exogenous IGF-1 and CNTF synergistically protected OLs from death induced by LPS-treated microglia conditioned medium, indicating that a deficiency in trophic support may also be involved in OL death. Our finding that LPS-activated microglia not only induce two waves of cell death but also greatly impair OL development may shed some light on the mechanisms underlying selective white matter damage and hypomyelination in PVL.     

Biology of oligodendrocyte and myelin in the mammalian central nervous system

Oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cells of the central nervous system (CNS), and astrocytes constitute macroglia. This review deals with the recent progress related to the origin and differentiation of the oligodendrocytes, their relationships to other neural cells, and functional neuroglial interactions under physiological conditions and in demyelinating diseases. One of the problems in studies of the CNS is to find components, i.e., markers, for the identification of the different cells, in intact tissues or cultures. In recent years, specific biochemical, immunological, and molecular markers have been identified. Many components specific to differentiating oligodendrocytes and to myelin are now available to aid their study. Transgenic mice and spontaneous mutants have led to a better understanding of the targets of specific dys- or demyelinating diseases. The best examples are the studies concerning the effects of the mutations affecting the most abundant protein in the central nervous myelin, the proteolipid protein, which lead to dysmyelinating diseases in animals and human (jimpy mutation and Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease or spastic paraplegia, respectively). Oligodendrocytes, as astrocytes, are able to respond to changes in the cellular and extracellular environment, possibly in relation to a glial network. There is also a remarkable plasticity of the oligodendrocyte lineage, even in the adult with a certain potentiality for myelin repair after experimental demyelination or human diseases.     

A novel oligodendrocyte cell line OLP6 shows the successive stages of oligodendrocyte development: late progenitor, immature and mature stages

The successive stages of development from oligodendrocyte progenitor to mature oligodendrocyte have been investigated in detail by using stage-specific antibodies. However, no cell lines are available that show stepwise differentiation from oligodendrocyte progenitors to mature oligodendrocytes. Here we show the establishment of an immortalized oligodendrocyte cell line, OLP6, from adult transgenic rats harboring the temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 large T-antigen gene. The OLP6 cells had a fibroblastic morphology and continuously proliferated at 33 degrees C. They displayed growth arrest and multipolar morphology when they were cultured at 39 degrees C. They express the oligodendrocytic markers O4, 2'-3'-cyclic-nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase, galactocerebroside and second endothelial differentiation gene receptor-2 at 39 degrees C. The OLP6 cells underwent apoptosis upon serum withdrawal at 39 degrees C. Lysophosphatidic acid inhibited this apoptosis and promoted the expression of myelin basic protein. These results demonstrate that the activation of endothelial differentiation gene receptor-2 exerts anti-apoptosis and myelinogenesis effects on the OLP6 cells. Taken together, the OLP6 cells in the late oligodendrocyte progenitor stage can progress to the immature oligodendrocyte stage by shifting culture temperature. Furthermore, lysophosphatidic acid promoted the maturation of OLP6 cells in the immature oligodendrocyte stage. Such OLP6 cells should provide a potent model system for studying the precise mechanism involved in stepwise differentiation of oligodendrocytes.     

Effects of erythropoietin on glial cell development; oligodendrocyte maturation and astrocyte proliferation

We investigated the effects of erythropoietin (Epo) in glial cell development, especially the maturation of late stage immature oligodendrocytes and the proliferation of astrocytes. Epo mRNA level in oligodendrocytes was much more prominent than those in neurons or astrocytes, which were the same as those in the young adult kidney, while Epo receptor (Epo-R) mRNA level were almost the same among neural cells, kidney and liver tissues. On immunohistochemical examination, Epo-R expression was also detected in O4-positive immature oligodendrocytes and glial fibrillary acidic protein positive astrocytes. These results suggested that types of both glial cells are responsive to Epo. The numbers of mature oligodendrocytes, which are characterized by myelin basic protein and process development, were increased by treatment with recombinant human Epo (rhEpo) (0.001-0.1 U/ml). The maturation of oligodendrocytes was also enhanced by coculture with astrocytes in vitro. However, when mixed cultured cells (oligodendrocytes+astrocytes) were treated with anti-Epo antibody and/or soluble Epo-R, the differentiation of oligodendrocytes was partially inhibited. Interestingly, high dose rhEpo (1, 3, 10 U/ml) markedly enhanced the proliferation of astrocytes. These results suggested that Epo not only promotes the differentiation and/or maturation in oligodendrocytes, but also enhances the proliferation of astrocytes. It is generally accepted that astrocytes produce Epo, and therefore Epo might act on astrocytes in an autocrine manner. The astrocytes stimulated with Epo may further accelerate the maturation of oligodendrocytes. These comprehensive effects of Epo might also affect the ability of oligodendrocyte lineage cells to promote myelin repair in the normal and damaged adult central nervous system.     

In vivo time-lapse imaging shows dynamic oligodendrocyte progenitor behavior during zebrafish development

Myelinating oligodendrocytes arise from migratory and proliferative oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Complete myelination requires that oligodendrocytes be uniformly distributed and form numerous, periodically spaced membrane sheaths along the entire length of target axons. Mechanisms that determine spacing of oligodendrocytes and their myelinating processes are not known. Using in vivo time-lapse confocal microscopy, we show that zebrafish OPCs continuously extend and retract numerous filopodium-like processes as they migrate and settle into their final positions. Process remodeling and migration paths are highly variable and seem to be influenced by contact with neighboring OPCs. After laser ablation of oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, nearby OPCs divide more frequently, orient processes toward the ablated cells and migrate to fill the unoccupied space. Thus, process activity before axon wrapping might serve as a surveillance mechanism by which OPCs determine the presence or absence of nearby oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, facilitating uniform spacing of oligodendrocytes and complete myelination.     

Helmet-based physiological signal monitoring system

A helmet-based system that was able to monitor the drowsiness of a soldier was developed. The helmet system monitored the electrocardiogram, electrooculogram and electroencephalogram (alpha waves) without constraints. Six dry electrodes were mounted at five locations on the helmet: both temporal sides, forehead region and upper and lower jaw strips. The electrodes were connected to an amplifier that transferred signals to a laptop computer via Bluetooth wireless communication. The system was validated by comparing the signal quality with conventional recording methods. Data were acquired from three healthy male volunteers for 12 min twice a day whilst they were sitting in a chair wearing the sensor-installed helmet. Experimental results showed that physiological signals for the helmet user were measured with acceptable quality without any intrusions on physical activities. The helmet system discriminated between the alert and drowsiness states by detecting blinking and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters extracted from ECG. Blinking duration and eye reopening time were increased during the sleepiness state compared to the alert state. Also, positive peak values of the sleepiness state were much higher, and the negative peaks were much lower than that of the alert state. The LF/HF ratio also decreased during drowsiness. This study shows the feasibility for using this helmet system: the subjects’ health status and mental states could be monitored without constraints whilst they were working.     

Role of the phosphoinositide signal system and methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine in the development of long-term post-tetanic potentiation in rats

High-frequency stimulation eliciting long-term post-tetanic potentiation of neuronal excitation in slices of the rat olfactory cortex was accompanied by changes in the metabolism of phospholipid components of cell membranes. At the first stage of the development of long-term potentiation (10 min after tetanization), there was a reduction in phosphoinositide metabolism. The maintenance phase of the potentiated state (30 min after tetanization) was associated with a three-fold increase in the incorporation of¹⁴C-labeled groups from adenosylmethionine into phosphatidylethanolamine methylation products and with normalization of phosphoinositide metabolism. Sixty minutes after tetanization, when potentiation had decayed, there was activation of phosphoinositide metabolism and the intensity of phosphatidylethanolamine methylation returned to the control level. It is suggested that the phosphoinositide system plays an important role in the induction of long-term potentiation, as well as at the stage of recovery of normal neuronal excitability, while the long-term maintenance phase of elevated neuronal excitability was associated with long-lasting changes in the level of phosphatidylethanolamine methylation. The effect of glutamate receptor agonists on the carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide response in potentiated slices was found to differ from that in nonpotentiated slices. The development of the long-term potentiated state is thus accompanied by a modulatory action of glutamate on the phosphoinositide response. Laboratory for the Regulation of Brain Neuron Function (M. O. Samoilov, Director), I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, St. Petersburg. Translated from Fiziologicheskii Zhurnal im. I. M. Sechenova, Vol. 81, No. 8, pp. 45–50, August, 1995.     

Frizzled 8a function is required for oligodendrocyte development in the zebrafish spinal cord

Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells in the central nervous system. The development of oligodendrocytes is mediated by complex signaling networks, including Wnt signaling. Although Wnt signaling has been studied in various aspects of neurogenesis, the distinct roles of various Frizzled receptors that mediate the Wnt signaling in the CNS remain virtually unknown. In order to understand the specific function of Wnt signaling in oligodendrocyte development, we focused on the Frizzled 8a (Fz8a) receptor. Here we show that Fz8a plays a critical role in the specification and maturation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) in the ventral spinal cord. Loss of Fz8a function perturbed the proliferation and organization of radial glial cells that give rise to OPCs in the ventral precursor region of spinal cord. In addition, we demonstrate that Wnt signaling activation after the specification of OPCs blocks the formation of mature oligodendrocytes and results in the elimination of OPCs.