Protein Kinases A and C are Involved in Oligodendroglial Process Formation

Oligodendrocytes (Ol), shorn of their processes during the isolation procedure, regenerate their fibres under appropriate culture conditions (Althaus et al., 1984). various diffusible and non-diffusible compounds contribute to this regenerative process. Some of the signaling factors seem to be receptor mediated and transduced via the protein kinases. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters such as tetradecanoylphorbolacetate (TPA) or 4-β phorboldibutyrate (4-β PDB) enhanced the oligodendroglial fibre formation appreciably, as revealed by phase contrast microscopy (Schröter and Althaus, 1987). However, a closer insight into the sequence of oligodendroglial process regeneration was obtained by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This showed that activation of protein kinase A (Pk-A) and protein kinase C (Pk-C) supports different steps of the initial remyelination process.