The dynamics of oligodendrocyte populations following permanent ischemia promotes long-term spontaneous remyelination of damaged area

Stroke is a major public health concern, with limited clinically approved interventions available to enhance sensorimotor recovery beyond reperfusion. Remarkably, spontaneous recovery is observed in certain stroke patients, suggesting the existence of a brain self-repair mechanism not yet fully understood. In a rat model of permanent cerebral ischemia, we described an increase in oligodendrocytes expressing 3RTau in damaged area. Considering that restoration of myelin integrity ameliorates symptoms in many neurodegenerative diseases, here we hypothesize that this cellular response could trigger remyelination. Our results revealed after ischemia an early recruitment of OPCs to damaged area, followed by their differentiation into 3RTau