Dividing glial cells maintain differentiated properties including complex morphology and functional synapses

摘要: It is generally believed that dividing cells gain complex features of differentiation only after exiting the cell cycle because division and are both under such tight regulation their coexistence deemed unlikely. As major proliferating type in mammalian CNS, NG2 glial (NG2 cells) account for 5–8% population form synaptic contacts with neurons. Here we report divide while maintaining differentiation, including morphological features, as elaboration multiple cellular processes physiological active glutamatergic GABAergic responses. Not do continue to receive excitatory inhibitory inputs they undergo mitosis, a subpopulation can fire action potentials upon depolarization, thereby revealing these retain voltage-gated ion channels well transmitter receptors signal processing. These findings provide clear counterexample widely perceived incompatibility between differentiation.