Special Issue "Advanced Immunology of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells"
A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 March 2023) | Viewed by 108
Special Issue Editor
Interests: neuroimmunology; multiple Sclerosis; OPCs; mucosal Immunology; gut-brain axis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) derive from neural stem cells during embryonic development and are present throughout the central nervous system (CNS). OPCs account for appropriately 5–8% of brain cells. For quite a long period, the most extensively studied function of OPCs has been their differentiation and maturation into mature oligodendrocytes. This view has largely expanded in the last decade. We now know that OPCs participate in angiogenesis, form synapses with neurons, and provide energy to neurons as well. Of note, emerging studies have demonstrated OPCs as resident non-immune cells with various immune functions. Firstly, OPCs respond to numerous immune stimuli, including interferons, interleukins and TNFα. Secondly, OPCs produce cytokines and chemokines that modulate regional immunity in the CNS. Thirdly, OPCs function as antigen-presenting cells in certain contexts, thus manipulating adaptive immunity. Even though our understating of the immune function of OPCs is in its infancy, many questions remain unanswered or to be clarified. For example:
- How do immune factors contribute to the homeostasis of OPCs?
- How does inflammation affect the fate and function of OPCs in neurodegenerative diseases?
- How do OPCs modulate CNS regional immunity in health and disease?
This Special Issue titled “Advanced Immunology of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells” aims to provide a platform for colleagues in this field to showcase their research progress in related topics. We believe research on the interplay between OPCs and the immune system will open new avenues for therapeutic strategies in neurological disorders.
Dr. Zizhen Kang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- oligodendrocyte progenitor cells
- immune modulation
- neurodegenerative disease
