Biolegend, 607754, Alexa Fluor® 488 anti-Oligodendrocyte Marker O1 Antibody

Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Similar to the Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), their function is to provide support and isolation to neuronal axons. Their importance has been denoted on de-myelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, periventricular leukomalacia, and also, they have been associated with dementia, schizophrenia, cognitive impairment, and bipolar disorder. Oligodendrocytes develop during embryogenesis; however, a small proportion of progenitor stem cells are present in the adult brain. Thus, three stages of differentiation can be identified in the cerebral white matter, and specific markers have been associated which each particular stage. Galactocerebroside O1 (marker O1) is one of the major galactosphingolipids components of oligodendrocytes plasma membrane. It is produced from late immature non-myelinating oligodendrocytes to mature myelinating oligodendrocytes, and together with expression of CNPase, it has been widely used as characteristic marker for these specific differentiation stages.