Incorrect Visualization Makes Author Appear Naive

I'm not the brightest person in the world, but I endeavor to correct my errant conceptions whenever necessary.

One of those errant conceptions made its way into this blog...and I feel compelled to explain. The misconception I had was that "oligodendrocytes" are precursor-cells that mature into different specialized cells. That is not really true...STEM CELLS do that...Oligodendrocytes are MATURE cells that produce new MYELIN -- the insulating fatty-tissue coating neurons.

Perhaps you'll understand why I made this mistake...my misunderstanding was based in attempting to explain how "remyelination" might be a possible future-treatment for M.S. sufferers..."remyelination" is already a function of oligodedrocytes...they just don't do it quickly enough to repair the "active-lesions" associated with M.S.

Studying more closely the biology of oligodendrocytes might lead Neurologists to develop a novel treatment for runaway M.S.-lesions, but not necessarily.

Studying the mechanisms stem-cells employ in maturing into oligodendrocytes might yield clues about how this might be done...but not necessarily.

Who knows?

--mattergy