Clinical application of oligodendrocyte precursor cells for cell-based therapy

• Main Authors: Naohiro Egawa, Hajime Takase, Lok Josephine, Ryosuke Takahashi, Ken Arai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: Brain Circulation
• Subjects: Cell transplantation; oligodendrocyte precursor cells; stem cell therapy
• Online Access: http://www.braincirculation.org/article.asp?issn=2394-8108;year=2016;volume=2;issue=3;spage=121;epage=125;aulast=Egawa

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), which give rise to mature oligodendrocytes (OLs), play important roles in maintaining white matter function. Even during the adulthood period, OPCs comprise roughly 5% of all cells in the forebrain and retain a capability to become myelinated OLs. Recently, OPCs have been proposed as a novel source for cell-based therapy. For the purpose, OPCs can be obtained from embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and directly converted cells derived from patients. Here, we will provide a brief review of the potential of using OPCs as a cell-based therapy for treating various neurological diseases.