Levine J M, Stincone F, Lee Y S
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794.
Glia. 1993 Apr;7(4):307-21. doi: 10.1002/glia.440070406.
The development and differentiation of bipotential glial precursor cells has been studied extensively in tissue culture, but little is known about the distribution and fate of these cells within intact animals. To analyze the development of glial progenitor cells in the developing rat cerebellum, we utilized immunofluorescent, immunocytochemical, and autoradiographic techniques. Glial progenitor cells were identified with antibodies against the NG2 chondroitin-sulfate proteoglycan, a cell-surface antigen of 02A progenitor cells in vitro, and the distribution of this marker antigen was compared to that of marker antigens that identify immature astrocytes, mature astrocytes, oligodendrocyte precursors, and mature oligodendrocytes. Cells expressing the NG2 antigen appeared in the cerebellum during the last 3-4 days of embryonic life. Over the first 10 days of postnatal life, the NG2-labeled cells incorporated 3H-thymidine into their nuclei and their total number increased. At all ages examined, the NG2-labeled cells did not contain either vimentin-like or glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-like immunoreactivity, suggesting that they do not develop along an astrocytic pathway. NG2-labeled cells of embryonic animals expressed GD3 ganglioside antigens, a property of oligodendrocyte precursors, whereas NG2-positive cells of postnatal animals did not express GD3 immunoreactivity. Nevertheless, the NG2-labeled cells of the nascent white matter expressed oligodendrocyte-specific marker antigens. Cells lying outside of the white matter continued to express the NG2 antigen. In adult animals, the NG2-labeled cells incorporated 3H-thymidine. Glial cells isolated from adult animals and grown in tissue culture express the NG2 antigen and display the phenotypic plasticity characteristic of 02A progenitor cells. These findings demonstrate that a population of glial progenitor cells is extensive within both young and adult animals.
双潜能神经胶质前体细胞的发育和分化在组织培养中已得到广泛研究，但对于这些细胞在完整动物体内的分布和命运却知之甚少。为了分析发育中的大鼠小脑内神经胶质祖细胞的发育情况，我们采用了免疫荧光、免疫细胞化学和放射自显影技术。利用针对NG2硫酸软骨素蛋白聚糖的抗体鉴定神经胶质祖细胞，NG2硫酸软骨素蛋白聚糖是体外02A祖细胞的一种细胞表面抗原，并将这种标记抗原的分布与鉴定未成熟星形胶质细胞、成熟星形胶质细胞、少突胶质前体细胞和成熟少突胶质细胞的标记抗原的分布进行比较。表达NG2抗原的细胞在胚胎期最后3 - 4天出现在小脑中。在出生后的前10天，NG2标记的细胞将3H-胸腺嘧啶核苷掺入细胞核，其总数增加。在所有检测的年龄段，NG2标记的细胞均不含有波形蛋白样或胶质纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）样免疫反应性，这表明它们不会沿着星形胶质细胞途径发育。胚胎动物的NG2标记细胞表达GD3神经节苷脂抗原，这是少突胶质前体细胞的一种特性，而出生后动物的NG2阳性细胞不表达GD3免疫反应性。然而，新生白质中NG2标记的细胞表达少突胶质细胞特异性标记抗原。位于白质外的细胞继续表达NG2抗原。在成年动物中，NG2标记的细胞掺入3H-胸腺嘧啶核苷。从成年动物分离并在组织培养中生长的神经胶质细胞表达NG2抗原，并表现出与02A祖细胞特征性的表型可塑性。这些发现表明，神经胶质祖细胞群体在幼年和成年动物体内都很广泛。
