Modulation of oligodendrocyte differentiation and maturation by combined biochemical and mechanical cues.

ABSTRACT: Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins play a key role during oligodendrogenesis. While fibronectin (FN) is involved in the maintenance and proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), merosin (MN) promotes differentiation into oligodendrocytes (OLs). Mechanical properties of the ECM also seem to affect OL differentiation, hence this study aimed to clarify the impact of combined biophysical and biochemical elements during oligodendrocyte differentiation and maturation using synthetic elastic polymeric ECM-like substrates. CG-4 cells presented OPC- or OL-like morphology in response to brain-compliant substrates functionalised with FN or MN, respectively. The expression of the differentiation and maturation markers myelin basic protein--MBP--and proteolipid protein--PLP--(respectiv

SUBMITTER: Lourenco T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4754901 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature