H9-derived Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells (OPCs)

Human H9-derived Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells (OPCs) are derived from NIH approved H9 human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). These hESC-derived OPCs proliferate as an adherent cell monolayer and greater than 70% express the appropriate early-to-intermediate oligodendrocyte markers, including O4, NG2, Olig2, Sox10 and GalC. Upon growth factor withdrawal, Human OPCs spontaneously differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes expressing terminally differentiated markers including proteolipid protein (PLP), myelin basic protein (MBP), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Spontaneous differentiation leads to approximately 30% of the cells expressing PLP, MBP and MOG while the remaining 70% express mostly neuronal markers, MAP2 and beta III-tubulin with very little to no astrocytes (<5% GFAP-positive cells) observed. Human OPCs can be used for a variety of research applications including studies of neurotoxicity, co-culture applications and screening for molecules that induce or inhibit preferential differentiation to mature oligodendrocytes.