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Table 1 Ontogenetic astrocyte progenitor pools

From: Astrocytes reassessment - an evolving concept part one: embryology, biology, morphology and reactivity

 

Radial glia

Postnatal glial progenitor cells

Glial restricted precursors

Origin

Neuroepithelial cells [1]

• Radial glia [11, 12]

Neuroepithelial cells skipping the radial glia stage [13, 14]

• Dlx2 (distal-less homeobox 2) [3]

• Local glial progenitors [1]

Location

Ventricular zone [1]

• Subventricular zone

• Embryonic spinal cord [8]

• Optic nerve [8]

• Dorso-lateral subventricular zone

  

• Marginal zone [1, 11, 12]

  

Characteristics

Multipotential cells [11, 12]

• Multipotential cells

Tripotential cells [8]

• Bipotential cells O-2A, O-2A/OPC [8, 15]

• Bipotential cells [3]

  

Roles

• Progenitors for neurons and glial cells

• Intermediate progenitors for astrocytes and oligodendrocytes [3]

• Promote neuroprotection

• Tumor genesis (oligoastrocytomas, multiform glioblastomas) [15]

• Guidance of neuronal migration [11, 12]

 

• Reduction of glial scar

 
  

• Formation and axonal growth [8]

 

Type of resulting astrocytes

• Star shaped specialised cortical astrocytes

• Cortical astrocytes

• Self-renewal

• Astrocytes type 2 and oligodendrocytes (in vitro)

 

• White matter astrocytes

• Astrocytes types 1, 2 and

 

• Bergmann glia in the cerebellum [3, 16]

• Oligodendrocytes [3]

• Oligodendrocytes [8]

• Oligodendrocytes (in vivo) [8, 15]