Progenitor cells, neural differentiation into oligodendrocytes

In the development of the Schwann cell lineage, also, FGF-2 may play an important role. A number of studies (Stocker et al., 1991 Sherman et al., 1993 Eckenstein et al., 1994) have shown that FGF-2 induces neural crest cells (progenitors to Schwann and other cells) to differentiate into melanocytes. Mature Schwann cells respond to FGF-2 by proliferating (Davis and Stroobant, 1990 Peulve et al., 1994). Together, these observations show that, at least in vitro, FGF-2 can influence the differentiation of various glial cell types by acting either as a maturation factor (astrocytes) or as a dedifferentiation/ proliferation factor (oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells). 

Fujiwara, Y., Tanaka, N., Ishida, O., Fujimoto, Y., Murakami, T., Kajihara, H., Yasunaga, Y., Ochi, M. (2004). Intravenously injected neural progenitor cells of transgenic rats can migrate to the injured spinal cord and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Neurosci Lett, 366, 287-91. 

Oligodendrocyte precursors arise from multiple foci distributed along the neural tube. The progenitor cells migrate from the neural tube into what will become the white matter of the brain [99]. The differentiation of oligodendrocytes follows the... 

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