Oligodendrocyte Progenitor

Oligodendrocyte Progenitor

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells precede oligodendrocytes in tissue of the central nervous system, and may also be able to differentiate into neurons and astrocytes. Differentiated oligodendrocytes support axons and provide electrical insulation in the form of a myelin sheath, enabling faster action potential propagation and high fidelity transmission without a need for an increase in axonal diameter. The loss or lack of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, and the related lack of differentiated oligodendrocytes is associated with a loss of meylination in the central nervous system that can result in impairment of neurological function.