Specification of CNS Glia from Neural Stem Cells in the Embryonic Neuroepithelium

Overview

Journal Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci

Specialty Biology

Date 2007 Feb 7

PMID 17282992

Citations 51

Authors

Nicoletta Kessaris

Nigel Pringle

William D Richardson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

All the neurons and glial cells of the central nervous system are generated from the neuroepithelial cells in the walls of the embryonic neural tube, the 'embryonic neural stem cells'. The stem cells seem to be equivalent to the so-called 'radial glial cells', which for many years had been regarded as a specialized type of glial cell. These radial cells generate different classes of neurons in a position-dependent manner. They then switch to producing glial cells (oligodendrocytes and astrocytes). It is not known what drives the neuron-glial switch, although downregulation of pro-neural basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors is one important step. This drives the stem cells from a neurogenic towards a gliogenic mode. The stem cells then choose between developing as oligodendrocytes or astrocytes, of which there might be intrinsically different subclasses. This review focuses on the different extracellular signals and intracellular responses that influence glial generation and the choice between oligodendrocyte and astrocyte fates.

Citing Articles

Unraveling the function of TSC1-TSC2 complex: implications for stem cell fate.

Wang S, Ma R, Gao C, Tian Y, Hu R, Zhang H Stem Cell Res Ther. 2025; 16(1):38.

PMID: 39901197 PMC: 11792405. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-025-04170-3.

Sbp2l contributes to oligodendrocyte maturation through translational control in Tcf7l2 signaling.

Yugami M, Hayakawa-Yano Y, Ogasawara T, Yokoyama K, Furukawa T, Hara H iScience. 2024; 26(12):108451.

PMID: 38213786 PMC: 10783607. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108451.

Fetal hypoxia results in sex- and cell type-specific alterations in neonatal transcription in rat oligodendrocyte precursor cells, microglia, neurons, and oligodendrocytes.

Kremsky I, Ma Q, Li B, Dasgupta C, Chen X, Ali S Cell Biosci. 2023; 13(1):58.

PMID: 36932456 PMC: 10022003. DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01012-8.

Bulk and mosaic deletions of reveal regionally defined gliogenesis in the developing mouse forebrain.

Zhang X, Xiao G, Johnson C, Cai Y, Horowitz Z, Mennicke C iScience. 2023; 26(3):106242.

PMID: 36915679 PMC: 10006693. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106242.

Assessing the Role of Ependymal and Vascular Cells as Sources of Extracellular Cues Regulating the Mouse Ventricular-Subventricular Zone Neurogenic Niche.

Quaresima S, Istiaq A, Jono H, Cacci E, Ohta K, Lupo G Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022; 10:845567.

PMID: 35450289 PMC: 9016221. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.845567.

References

Qi Y, Tan M, Hui C, Qiu M . Gli2 is required for normal Shh signaling and oligodendrocyte development in the spinal cord. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2003; 23(3):440-50. DOI: 10.1016/s1044-7431(03)00067-8. View

Takebayashi H, Yoshida S, Sugimori M, Kosako H, Kominami R, Nakafuku M . Dynamic expression of basic helix-loop-helix Olig family members: implication of Olig2 in neuron and oligodendrocyte differentiation and identification of a new member, Olig3. Mech Dev. 2000; 99(1-2):143-8. DOI: 10.1016/s0925-4773(00)00466-4. View

Walz W, Lang M . Immunocytochemical evidence for a distinct GFAP-negative subpopulation of astrocytes in the adult rat hippocampus. Neurosci Lett. 1998; 257(3):127-30. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00813-1. View

Southwood C, He C, Garbern J, Kamholz J, Arroyo E, Gow A . CNS myelin paranodes require Nkx6-2 homeoprotein transcriptional activity for normal structure. J Neurosci. 2004; 24(50):11215-25. PMC: 6730372. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3479-04.2004. View

Takebayashi H, Nabeshima Y, Yoshida S, Chisaka O, Ikenaka K, Nabeshima Y . The basic helix-loop-helix factor olig2 is essential for the development of motoneuron and oligodendrocyte lineages. Curr Biol. 2002; 12(13):1157-63. DOI: 10.1016/s0960-9822(02)00926-0. View

Lu Q, Yuk D, Alberta J, Zhu Z, Pawlitzky I, Chan J . Sonic hedgehog--regulated oligodendrocyte lineage genes encoding bHLH proteins in the mammalian central nervous system. Neuron. 2000; 25(2):317-29. DOI: 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)80897-1. View

Sun T, Dong H, Wu L, Kane M, Rowitch D, Stiles C . Cross-repressive interaction of the Olig2 and Nkx2.2 transcription factors in developing neural tube associated with formation of a specific physical complex. J Neurosci. 2003; 23(29):9547-56. PMC: 6740479. View

Shimizu T, Kagawa T, Wada T, Muroyama Y, Takada S, Ikenaka K . Wnt signaling controls the timing of oligodendrocyte development in the spinal cord. Dev Biol. 2005; 282(2):397-410. DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2005.03.020. View

Johe K, Hazel T, Muller T, McKay R . Single factors direct the differentiation of stem cells from the fetal and adult central nervous system. Genes Dev. 1996; 10(24):3129-40. DOI: 10.1101/gad.10.24.3129. View

10.

Nieto M, Schuurmans C, Britz O, Guillemot F . Neural bHLH genes control the neuronal versus glial fate decision in cortical progenitors. Neuron. 2001; 29(2):401-13. DOI: 10.1016/s0896-6273(01)00214-8. View

11.

Sun T, Echelard Y, Lu R, Yuk D, Kaing S, Stiles C . Olig bHLH proteins interact with homeodomain proteins to regulate cell fate acquisition in progenitors of the ventral neural tube. Curr Biol. 2001; 11(18):1413-20. DOI: 10.1016/s0960-9822(01)00441-9. View

12.

Warf B, Miller R . Evidence for the ventral origin of oligodendrocyte precursors in the rat spinal cord. J Neurosci. 1991; 11(8):2477-88. PMC: 6575522. View

13.

Voigt T . Development of glial cells in the cerebral wall of ferrets: direct tracing of their transformation from radial glia into astrocytes. J Comp Neurol. 1989; 289(1):74-88. DOI: 10.1002/cne.902890106. View

14.

Wang S, Sdrulla A, Disibio G, Bush G, Nofziger D, Hicks C . Notch receptor activation inhibits oligodendrocyte differentiation. Neuron. 1998; 21(1):63-75. DOI: 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)80515-2. View

15.

Richardson W, Kessaris N, Pringle N . Oligodendrocyte wars. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2005; 7(1):11-8. PMC: 6328010. DOI: 10.1038/nrn1826. View

16.

Stolt C, Schmitt S, Lommes P, Sock E, Wegner M . Impact of transcription factor Sox8 on oligodendrocyte specification in the mouse embryonic spinal cord. Dev Biol. 2005; 281(2):309-17. DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2005.03.010. View

17.

Lee S, Lee B, Ruiz E, Pfaff S . Olig2 and Ngn2 function in opposition to modulate gene expression in motor neuron progenitor cells. Genes Dev. 2005; 19(2):282-94. PMC: 545894. DOI: 10.1101/gad.1257105. View

18.

Antanitus D, Choi B, LAPHAM L . Immunofluorescence staining of astrocytes in vitro using antiserum to glial fibrillary acidic protein. Brain Res. 1975; 89(2):363-7. DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(75)90729-5. View

19.

Givogri M, Costa R, Schonmann V, Silva A, Campagnoni A, Bongarzone E . Central nervous system myelination in mice with deficient expression of Notch1 receptor. J Neurosci Res. 2002; 67(3):309-20. DOI: 10.1002/jnr.10128. View

20.

Koblar S, Turnley A, Classon B, Reid K, Ware C, Cheema S . Neural precursor differentiation into astrocytes requires signaling through the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998; 95(6):3178-81. PMC: 19715. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.95.6.3178. View