Proliferation rate of oligodendrocytes in culture can be influenced by extrinsic factors

Abstract

We investigated whether in cultures of mechanically dissociated brain cells from newborn mice the reduction of the number of oligodendrocytes influences their proliferation rate. 14-day-old cultures were subjected to complement-dependent anti-galactocerebroside (GC) antibody-mediated cytotoxicity. The cytotoxic treatment completely destroyed oligodendrocytes. Thereafter, GC+ oligodendrocytes progressively reappeared. Their number was 20 and 66% compared to controls, 3 and 7 days after cytotoxicity, respectively. Proliferating oligodendrocytes were detected 3 and 7 days after cytotoxicity by combining the immunostaining for GC with 3H-thymidine autoradiography. The proliferation rate of oligodendrocytes in treated cultures was increased by 100 and 76% compared to controls, 3 and 7 days after cytotoxicity, respectively. These data suggest that the proliferation rate of oligodendrocytes can be influenced by extrinsic factors.