Generation of purified oligodendrocyte progenitors from embryonic stem cells.

SPECIFIC AIMSIn many central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and stroke, demyelination of intact axons is an important factor contributing to loss of function. Transplantation of myelin-forming cells into the CNS has become the most promising experimental strategy for restoring lost myelin. Availability of embryonic stem (ES) cells has provided new prospects for generating tissue-specific stem and progenitor cells in virtually unlimited numbers in vitro. Due to their pluripotency, their potential for limitless self-renewal, and their amenability to genetic modification and gene targeting, ES cells are widely considered as the most versatile donor source for cell and tissue repair. The therapeutic application of ES cells for myelin repair will depend critically on the ability to enrich a pure population of mitotically active oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPs) able to differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes.In this study, we explore a new strategy for...