Horner Philip J, Thallmair Michaela, Gage Fred H
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Ave Box 359655, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
J Neurocytol. 2002 Jul-Aug;31(6-7):469-80. doi: 10.1023/a:1025739630398.
The NG2 proteoglycan is believed to be an in vivo marker for oligodendrocyte progenitors found in the developing brain. The prevalence of NG2-expressing cells that remain in the adult CNS following the end of gliogenesis is significant. Current research is focused on how this cell participates in the normal function of the adult CNS and whether it may be activated by injury and/or contribute to repair. Despite substantial evidence for a sub-population of NG2-expressing cells playing a glial progenitor role in the adult CNS, there is much to be learned. Specifically, the heterogeneity of this population has not been adequately addressed for the adult CNS and while NG2 cells continue to divide in the adult CNS it is not clear what function they serve once myelination is complete. Future studies should elucidate the functional importance of NG2 in a variety of cell functions and shed light on the role NG2-expressing cells play in the intact and diseased CNS.
NG2蛋白聚糖被认为是发育中大脑里少突胶质细胞前体细胞的一种体内标志物。在神经胶质生成结束后，成年中枢神经系统中仍存在表达NG2的细胞，其数量颇为可观。当前的研究聚焦于这种细胞如何参与成年中枢神经系统的正常功能，以及它是否会因损伤而被激活和/或有助于修复。尽管有大量证据表明成年中枢神经系统中表达NG2的细胞亚群发挥着神经胶质前体细胞的作用，但仍有许多有待了解之处。具体而言，对于成年中枢神经系统，这一细胞群体的异质性尚未得到充分研究，而且虽然NG2细胞在成年中枢神经系统中持续分裂，但在髓鞘形成完成后它们发挥何种功能尚不清楚。未来的研究应阐明NG2在各种细胞功能中的功能重要性，并揭示表达NG2的细胞在完整和患病中枢神经系统中所起的作用。
