How do neurons interact with oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and oligodendrocytes? Half of our brain consists of glia, and neuron-glia interaction is crucial for brain function. Yet our understanding of neuron-glia interaction is rather limited. OPCs are the only glia that form synapses with neurons, while oligodendrocytes wrap around neuronal processes with myelin sheaths. How are these interactions established and regulated at the right time and correct place?
What are the molecular pathways and cellular functions underlying calcium activity in OPCs?
Calcium is a crucial second messenger for relaying signals. OPCs exhibit robust calcium activity. It is unclear what causes and what the consequences are of this calcium activity at the molecular and cellular levels. Zebrafish serve as one of the best models for analyzing calcium in vivo at high resolution and without invasive surgeries.
How do neuron-OPC interactions regulate brain function?
OPCs have the potential to differentiate into oligodendrocytes and myelinate axons. Both OPCs and oligodendrocytes can impact circuit function and behaviors, such as learning and memory. It remains unknown when and how OPCs decide their fates and how oligodendrocytes choose their targets for myelination.
Why zebrafish?
Zebrafish offer several advantages over other model systems: they possess powerful genetics, produce hundreds of embryos weekly, are inexpensive to maintain, develop externally (easy access for imaging), are the simplest vertebrate with myelin, and are transparent at larval stages (non-invasive in vivo imaging).
