Quantal transmission: not just for neurons

Glia have moved into the spotlight as participants in synaptic signaling. Recent work by Bergles and colleagues extends this active role by showing that oligodendrocyte precursors cells (OPCs) in the hippocampus receive functional glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses. Synaptic signaling in these cells could provide a mechanism for activity-dependent modulation of OPC proliferation and differentiation.