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Movement and structure of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes and their myelin sheaths.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Rinholm, JE; Vervaeke, K; Tadross, MR; Tkachuk, AN; Kopek, BG; Brown, TA; Bergersen, LH; Clayton, DA
Published in: Glia
May 2016

Mitochondria play several crucial roles in the life of oligodendrocytes. During development of the myelin sheath they are essential providers of carbon skeletons and energy for lipid synthesis. During normal brain function their consumption of pyruvate will be a key determinant of how much lactate is available for oligodendrocytes to export to power axonal function. Finally, during calcium-overload induced pathology, as occurs in ischemia, mitochondria may buffer calcium or induce apoptosis. Despite their important functions, very little is known of the properties of oligodendrocyte mitochondria, and mitochondria have never been observed in the myelin sheaths. We have now used targeted expression of fluorescent mitochondrial markers to characterize the location and movement of mitochondria within oligodendrocytes. We show for the first time that mitochondria are able to enter and move within the myelin sheath. Within the myelin sheath the highest number of mitochondria was in the cytoplasmic ridges along the sheath. Mitochondria moved more slowly than in neurons and, in contrast to their behavior in neurons and astrocytes, their movement was increased rather than inhibited by glutamate activating NMDA receptors. By electron microscopy we show that myelin sheath mitochondria have a low surface area of cristae, which suggests a low ATP production. These data specify fundamental properties of the oxidative phosphorylation system in oligodendrocytes, the glial cells that enhance cognition by speeding action potential propagation and provide metabolic support to axons.

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Published In

Glia

DOI

EISSN

1098-1136

ISSN

0894-1491

Publication Date

May 2016

Volume

64

Issue

5

Start / End Page

810 / 825

Related Subject Headings

  • Tetrodotoxin
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Rats
  • Quinoxalines
  • Organ Culture Techniques
  • Oligodendroglia
  • Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
 

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Rinholm, J. E., Vervaeke, K., Tadross, M. R., Tkachuk, A. N., Kopek, B. G., Brown, T. A., … Clayton, D. A. (2016). Movement and structure of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes and their myelin sheaths. Glia, 64(5), 810–825. https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.22965
Rinholm, Johanne E., Koen Vervaeke, Michael R. Tadross, Ariana N. Tkachuk, Benjamin G. Kopek, Timothy A. Brown, Linda H. Bergersen, and David A. Clayton. “Movement and structure of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes and their myelin sheaths.Glia 64, no. 5 (May 2016): 810–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.22965.
Rinholm JE, Vervaeke K, Tadross MR, Tkachuk AN, Kopek BG, Brown TA, et al. Movement and structure of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes and their myelin sheaths. Glia. 2016 May;64(5):810–25.
Rinholm, Johanne E., et al. “Movement and structure of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes and their myelin sheaths.Glia, vol. 64, no. 5, May 2016, pp. 810–25. Epmc, doi:10.1002/glia.22965.
Rinholm JE, Vervaeke K, Tadross MR, Tkachuk AN, Kopek BG, Brown TA, Bergersen LH, Clayton DA. Movement and structure of mitochondria in oligodendrocytes and their myelin sheaths. Glia. 2016 May;64(5):810–825.
Journal cover image

Published In

Glia

DOI

EISSN

1098-1136

ISSN

0894-1491

Publication Date

May 2016

Volume

64

Issue

5

Start / End Page

810 / 825

Related Subject Headings

  • Tetrodotoxin
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Rats
  • Quinoxalines
  • Organ Culture Techniques
  • Oligodendroglia
  • Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery