Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells become regionally diverse and heterogeneous with age

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), which differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes during central nervous system (CNS) development, are the main proliferative cells in the adult brain. OPCs are conventionally considered a homogeneous population, particularly with respect to their electrophysiological properties, but this has been debated. We show, by using single-cell electrophysiological recordings, that OPCs start out as a homogeneous population, but become functionally heterogeneous, varying both within and between brain regions and with age. These electrophysiological changes in OPCs correlate with the differentiation potential of OPCs; thus, they may underlie the differentiational differences in OPCs between regions and likewise differentiation failure with age.
We acknowledge the support of the Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute core facility managers, in particular for this work Dr Maike Paramor and Miss Victoria Murray with RNA sequencing, and all staff members of the University Biomedical Services (UBS). This project has received funding from: the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 771411; R.T.K, K.A.E); the Wellcome Trust, a Research Career Development Fellowship (R.T.K. and K.A.E. 091543/Z/10/Z) and a Studentship (102160/Z/13/Z; Y.K); The Paul G Allen Frontiers Group, Allen Distinguished Investigator Award (12076, R.T.K., D.K.V.); The Medical Research Council, a studentship (S.O.S.); The Gates Foundation, a Gates Scholarship (S.S.), The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, a studentship (S.A.); Homerton College Cambridge, a Junior Research Fellowship (D.K.V); The UK MS Society, a Cambridge Myelin Repair Centre grant (50; R.T.K, O.D.F.); The Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé, a scholarship (Y.K.); The Cambridge Commonwealth European & International Trust, a scholarship (Y.K.); and the Lister Institute, a Research Prize (R.T.K., K.A.E, SOS).