Brain matters: unveiling the distinct contributions of region, age, and sex to glia diversity and CNS function

The study investigates the diversity of glial cells in different regions of the human central nervous system (CNS), focusing on how this diversity varies with age and sex. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing was used to analyze post-mortem white matter samples from the brain, cerebellum, and spinal cord of adult donors. The research identified region-specific glial populations and subtle sex differences, suggesting that these variations may contribute to different susceptibilities to CNS diseases.

• 1
  Region-specific oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) were identified, retaining developmental origin markers into adulthood, distinguishing them from mouse OPCs.
• 2
  Spinal cord oligodendrocytes exhibit markers associated with increased myelin production, and a spinal cord selective population is particularly equipped for producing long and thick myelin sheaths.
• 3
  Spinal cord microglia exhibit a more activated phenotype compared to brain microglia, suggesting that the spinal cord is a more pro-inflammatory environment, a difference that intensifies with age.