Approaches to the Study of Diseases Involving Oligodendroglial Death

摘要: Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the myelin-producing cells of central nervous system (CNS). Myelin is compact, multilamellar, lipid-rich sheath that envelops axons. As a result this membrane insulation, rate conduction nerve action potentials down an axon maximized while energy and space demands within CNS minimized. Disorders myelin (i.e., white matter disorders) from variety causes (see representative examples in Table 1). Extensive demyelination often has devastating consequences, including paralysis, dementia, or coma. These clinical sequelae reflect marked reduction ability to conduct impulses at normal rate. Consider, for example, one form developmental disorder cerebral palsy (CP), which injury perinatal results decreased myelination regions subserving such neurologic functions as motor control vision. Around 5–15% nearly 50,000 preterm infants born US each year will acquire CP related damage, manifesting spastic deficits, another 25–50% show evidence learning disabilities (1). The estimated economic cost society excess five billion dollars annually.