Our Mimetix® Aligned fibres (TECL 006) were once again used as a pivotal tool to study oligodendrocytes in vitro. Oligodendrocytes produce myelin which plays a key role in the signal transduction by neurons. These oligodendrocytes exist in different populations and the authors investigated whether the location of these various populations correlates with their function. Published in Nature Communication titled “Distinct oligodendrocyte populations have spatial preference and different responses to spinal cord injury“ (Nat Commun 11, 5860 (2020)), Floriddia et al. show that external factors such as neurological activity determines the type of oligodendrocyte in the spinal cord or brain. In addition, the authors observe that distinct oligodendrocytes respond differently to injury such as spinal trauma or in a mouse model for multiple sclerosis.
Using Mimetix TECL006, the authors were able to study the behavior of ex vivo cultured oligodendrocytes as the unique aligned fibres act as a neuron’s axon to which the oligodendrocytes attach and produce myelin.
Our Mimetix range is available for purchase at: www.amsbio.com/mimetix-3d-cell-culture/. Contact us to discuss clinical applications of electrospun biomaterials for neuroscience applications.