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Studying the Effects of Semaphorins on Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells

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Book cover Semaphorin Signaling

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1493))

Abstract

Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system. The role of oligodendrocytes in health and disease has been considerably enhanced by the development of methods to isolate and culture oligodendrocytes from central nervous system tissue. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation can be identified by challenging oligodendrocyte progenitors cells (OPCs) by altering their extracellular environment and intrinsic differentiation pathways. To address these issues, it is imperative to develop an in vitro protocol where pure OPCs are isolated and cultured in the presence of inhibitory developmental and differentiation cues like Semaphorin 3A. In this chapter, we describe methods to isolate and culture OPCs from neonatal rat brain tissue and further characterise their differentiation into oligodendrocytes. The described protocol is relatively simple in comparison to existing protocols and can be used to study the effect of lesion-associated inhibitors like Semaphorin 3A on oligodendrocyte differentiation.

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Disclosures

No conflicts of interest declared.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wellcome Trust and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, West Forvie Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK

    Yasir Ahmed Syed, Sarah Ali Abdulla & Mark R. N. Kotter

Authors
  1. Yasir Ahmed Syed
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  2. Sarah Ali Abdulla
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  3. Mark R. N. Kotter
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark R. N. Kotter .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

    Jonathan R. Terman

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Syed, Y.A., Abdulla, S.A., Kotter, M.R.N. (2017). Studying the Effects of Semaphorins on Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells. In: Terman, J. (eds) Semaphorin Signaling. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1493. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6448-2_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6448-2_26

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6446-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6448-2

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