Oligodendrocytes: Development, Physiology and Glucose Metabolism

Abstract

The glutamate–glutamine cycle is an outstanding example of how essential neuronal–glial interactions are for brain function. For several decades, this and other metabolic cycles in the brain have only included neurons and astrocytes but not oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Recent data revealed that oligodendrocytes are highly metabolically active cells in the brain and, therefore, should not be ignored. Using 13C-labelled glucose in combination with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and/or mass spectrometry (MS) it is possible to characterize metabolic functions in primary oligodendrocyte cultures. Mature rat oligodendrocytes avidly metabolize glucose in the cytosol and pyruvate derived from glucose in mitochondria. Moreover, they seem to have the ability of performing anaplerosis from pyruvate, which might enable them to synthesize metabolites de novo and transfer them to neighbouring cells. All these original findings highlight the importance of investigating oligodendrocyte metabolism separately from that of astrocytes and neurons to be able to discern the roles played by the individual partners. This is of particular importance in the white matter where the number of oligodendrocytes is considerable. The present book chapter provides some background on oligodendrocyte biology and physiology and summarizes the not very extensive information published on glucose metabolism in oligodendrocytes.