The Biology of Oligodendrocytes

The first dedicated review of all major aspects of oligodendrocyte biology and their role in disease and neural repair.

Patricia Armati (Edited by), Emily Mathey (Edited by)

9780521899659, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 21 October 2010

304 pages, 25 b/w illus. 10 colour illus.
23.5 x 15.5 x 2 cm, 0.62 kg

Traditionally, oligodendrocytes have been assumed to play a minor supporting role in the central nervous system and their importance has generally been overlooked. For the first time, this book provides a dedicated review of all of the major aspects of oligodendrocyte biology, including development, organization, genetics, and immunobiology. Later chapters emphasize the importance of this underestimated cell to the mammalian central nervous system by exploring the role of myelin synthesis and maintenance in neural disease and repair. Particular attention is paid to multiple sclerosis (MS), arguably the prime example of an acquired demyelinating disease, with detailed examinations of the current concepts regarding demyelination, oligodendroglial damage, and remyelination in MS lesions.

List of contributors
Preface
1. CNS oligarchs. The rise of the oligodendrocyte in a neuron-centric culture Emily Mathey, Ariel Arthur and Patricia Armati
2. Comparative biology of Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes Rudolf Martini, Janos Groh and Udo Bartsch
3. Control of oligodendrocyte development and myelination in the vertebrate CNS Robert H. Miller
4. Molecular organization of the oligodendrocyte and myelin Grahame Kidd and Bruce D. Trapp
5. The genetics of oligodendrocytes Joseph A. Nielsen, Pierre Lau and Lynn D. Hudson
6. Immunobiology of the oligodendrocyte David Kremer, Orhan Aktas, Hans-Peter Hartung and Patrick Küry
7. Oligodendrocytes and disease: repair, remyelination and stem cells Neil Scolding
8. Glial progenitor cells and the dynamics of the oligodendrocyte and its myelin in the aged and injured CNS Jurate Lasiene and Philip J. Horner
9. Oligodendroglial pathology in MS Tanja Kuhlmann and Wolfgang Brück
10. Glutamate receptors, transporters, and periventricular leukomalacia Tara M. Desilva and Paul A. Rosenberg
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Neurosciences [PSAN], Neurology & clinical neurophysiology [MJN], Medicine: general issues [MB]