The role of prostaglandins in myelination and axonal protection by oligodendrocytes

前列腺素（PG） F2alpha在中枢神经系统中的生理作用尚未阐明。我们研究了PG2alpha在少突胶质细胞谱系细胞中的功能，因为我们之前的研究揭示了prostamide/PGF合成酶（小鼠中枢神经系统中主要的pgf2alpha产生酶）的少突胶质定位。我们证实，在少突胶质细胞中，prostamide/PGF合成酶的表达、PGF2alpha的产生以及细胞内钙浓度的增加是对外源性PGF2alpha的反应。PGF2alpha似乎对少突胶质细胞谱系细胞早期发育的存活至关重要，因为来自prostamide/PGF合成酶敲除小鼠的少突胶质细胞前体在没有PGF2alpha补充的情况下无法存活。相比之下，来自敲除小鼠的少突胶质细胞谱系细胞在分化刺激下表现出正常的成熟。

Physiological roles of prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha in central nervous system have not been elucidated. We studied the function of PG2alpha in oligodendrocyte-lineage cells, since our previous study revealed oligodendroglial localization of prostamide/PGF synthase, a major PGF2alpha-producing enzyme in mouse central nervous system. We confirmed expression of prostamide/PGF synthase, production of PGF2alpha, and an increase in intracellular calcium concentration in response to exogenous PGF2alpha, in oligodendrocytes. PGF2alpha seemed to be essential for survival of oligodendrocyte-lineage cells in their early development, since oigodendrocyte precursors from prostamide/PGF synthase-knockout mice were not able to survive without PGF2alpha supplementation. In contrast, oligodendrocyte-lineage cells from knockout mice showed normal maturation in response to differentiation stimuli.