Neuronal TrkB supports adult cortical oligodendrogenesis in the brains of older adult mice

Abstract

Lifelong oligodendrogenesis and myelination is critical for healthy brain aging. Using cumulative labelling with thymidine analogue, 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU) for 6-weeks commencing at 2-, 12- and 18-months of age in C57BL/6 mice, we found that oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) proliferation and oligodendroglial densities are relatively stable in the adult mouse optic nerve, corpus callosum and somatosensory cortex. We also found that more proliferative adult OPCs differentiate into oligodendrocytes in the somatosensory cortex than the corpus callosum during aging. To determine the role of neuronal TrkB in adult oligodendrogenesis in the older brain, we generated Thy1-CreER T2 -E..