Polydendrocytes – undifferentiated cells of the nervous system

Abstract

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) were first described more than two decades ago. New marker techniques have revealed that they are independent cells with the high nerve tissue repair potential, and they have been classified as the fourth glial cell type in addition to astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglial cells. Another term used for this type of cells is polydendrocytes, this is due to both their morphology and developing knowledge of their diverse functions. OPCs play an important role in the development and myelinogenesis in adults giving rise to oligodendrocytes that cover axons providing signal isolation by the myelin sheath, thus accelerating action potential propagation and ensuring high transmission fidelity without the need for an increased axon diameter. Loss or absence of oligodendrocyte precursors and the resulting absence of differentiated oligodendrocytes are associated with lost myelination and subsequent impairment of neurological functions. Demyelination is a feature of various diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, infantile cerebral palsy and childhood cognitive impairment. Moreover, OPCs express receptors for various neurotransmitters and are exposed to membrane depolarisation to receive synaptic signals from neurons. Numerous research studies have been investigated polydendrocyte functionality and potential for use as target cells in the treatment and prevention of neural tissue diseases. There are no studies related to morphology, functionality and potential of oligodendrocyte precursors in our country. In this review we highlight issues of the polydendrocyte discovery, their localization and migration potential, possibilities of remyelination through OPCs in hypoxic injury in the embryonic and postnatal period.