Buchanan JoAnn, Cheadle Lucas
Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Allen Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Annu Rev Neurosci. 2025 Jul;48(1):425-444. doi: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-112723-025806. Epub 2025 Apr 15.
Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are glia that give rise to myelinating oligodendrocytes in the developing and adult brain. However, emerging data suggest that OPCs perform a wide range of functions beyond oligodendrogenesis. For example, OPCs receive direct synaptic input from neurons, and they respond to neural activity through the release of factors that alter neuronal function. Moreover, OPCs directly associate with the neurovasculature to promote blood-brain barrier maintenance and integrity. Emerging data suggest that OPCs can refine synaptic connectivity during brain development, a process to which they contribute by phagocytosing synapses. Finally, OPCs are also involved in brain immunity, as they can adopt immune cell-like functions during demyelinating and neurodegenerative diseases. Altogether, these findings have identified OPCs as the major multitaskers of the brain. In this review, we discuss the roles of OPCs that extend beyond oligodendrocyte production and their relevance for neurological function.
少突胶质前体细胞（OPCs）是一种神经胶质细胞，在发育中的大脑和成年大脑中可产生形成髓鞘的少突胶质细胞。然而，新出现的数据表明，OPCs的功能远不止于少突胶质细胞生成。例如，OPCs接收来自神经元的直接突触输入，并通过释放改变神经元功能的因子来响应神经活动。此外，OPCs直接与神经血管系统相关联，以促进血脑屏障的维持和完整性。新出现的数据表明，OPCs在大脑发育过程中可优化突触连接，它们通过吞噬突触参与这一过程。最后，OPCs也参与大脑免疫，因为它们在脱髓鞘和神经退行性疾病期间可发挥类似免疫细胞的功能。总之，这些发现已将OPCs确定为大脑的主要多面手。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了OPCs超出少突胶质细胞产生的作用及其与神经功能的相关性。
