Oligodendrocyte precursor cells sculpt the visual system by regulating axonal remodeling
Yan Xiao, Luigi Petrucco, Laura J. Hoodless, Rubén Portugues, Tim Czopka
Abstract
Many oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) do not differentiate to form myelin, suggesting additional roles of this cell population. The zebrafish optic tectum contains OPCs in regions devoid of myelin. Elimination of these OPCs impaired precise control of retinal ganglion cell axon arbor size during formation and maturation of retinotectal connectivity and degraded functional processing of visual stimuli. Therefore, OPCs fine-tune neural circuits independently of their canonical role to make myelin.
Topics & Concepts
NeuroscienceOligodendrocyteZebrafishMyelinTectumAxonBiologyRetinal ganglion cellNeuroscientistPopulationRetinaPrecursor cellCellCentral nervous systemMidbrainMedicineBiochemistryEnvironmental healthGeneGeneticsNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsZebrafish Biomedical Research Applications