oligodendrocyte precursor cell
oligodendrocyte precursor cell
A proliferative and migratory glial progenitor cell that derives from a neural stem cell and resides within the central nervous system. It possesses the capacity to differentiate into a committed oligodendrocyte progenitor (COP) through a well-defined series of maturation steps, ultimately giving rise to a myelinating oligodendrocyte (MOL). In mice and humans, it is characterized by the expression of specific molecular markers, including Pdgfra, Cspg4 (also known as NG2) and Olig2.