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Ectopic expression of Olig1 promotes oligodendrocyte formation and reduces neuronal survival in developing mouse cortex

Abstract

In the cerebral cortex of the developing murine central nervous system, formation of neurons and astrocytes can be modulated by transcription factors with basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domains. However, transcription factors that promote formation of oligodendrocytes have yet to be identified. We show here that ectopic expression of the bHLH gene Olig1 promotes oligodendrocyte formation while suppressing neuronal survival in the cerebral cortex of developing mice.

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Figure 1: Ectopic expression of Olig1 promotes oligodendrocyte development.
Figure 2: Ectopic expression of Olig1 gene induces age-related neuronal degeneration.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by grants from Charles Dana foundation, National Institutes of Child Health and Neurological Disease and Stroke (C.D.S., D.R.) and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (C.L.C.). Q.R.L. received an NRSA postdoctoral fellowship award from NIH. We thank P. Dahia and J. Alberta for discussions.

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Correspondence to Constance L. Cepko or Charles D. Stiles.

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Lu, Q., Cai, L., Rowitch, D. et al. Ectopic expression of Olig1 promotes oligodendrocyte formation and reduces neuronal survival in developing mouse cortex. Nat Neurosci 4, 973–974 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn718

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