Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are a self-renewing cell population that gives rise to mature oligodendrocytes, the myelin-producing cells of the central nervous system. An intact myelin sheath is essential for fast and efficient signal transmission along axons and provides physical and trophic support to neurons.

OPC dysfunction and myelin loss can lead to severe neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, and are increasingly proposed as major drivers of a broader spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Drug development efforts are thus being directed towards the restoration of normal OPC function, creating the need for reliable in vitro models to assess candidate therapeutics that aim to promote remyelination.

The aim of the current study was to validate and characterise an organotypic brain slice model of myelination and assess the model's responsiveness to a known pro-myelinating therapeutic. In addition, we aimed to validate a rat OPC isolation method and further optimise conditions to quantify OPC maturation invitro.

Taken together, these models provide a clear picture of the impact of candidate therapeutics on OPC proliferation, maturation and myelination.