Abstract
Oligodendrocytes are generated from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Mechanisms of OPC differentiation have been extensively examined with two-dimensional cell culture systems. However, these cellular events may be more accurately represented using a three-dimensional (3D) model. In this study, we report the development of a novel 3D OPC culture system using gels composed of a mixture of collagen and hyaluronan, wherein cultured rat primary OPCs can proliferate and differentiate into oligodendrocytes. Our data show that the gel concentration and cell-seeding density are critical factors for the numbers of OPCs and oligodendrocytes in our 3D culture system. In addition, Notch signaling, which supports cell-to-cell communication, may also be important for OPC function in our system because a Notch inhibitor DAPT suppressed OPC proliferation and differentiation. Taken together, cultured rat OPCs can grow in collagen-/hyaluronan-based gels, and our novel 3D OPC culture system may offer a useful platform for examining the mechanisms of OPC function in vitro.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1078-1085 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Stem Cells and Development |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 14 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2017 Jul 15 |
Keywords
- 3D culture
- Notch signaling
- astrocyte
- cell-cell interaction
- oligodendrocyte precursor cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hematology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology