Time: 12:00 PMLocation: Cambridge, MA

Tuesday, April 29, 202510–11 AM46-3310 (Picower Seminar Room)Zoom: https://mit.zoom.us/j/98400785840?pwd=az5ljtDhAzxy38pgmXxl6fcHV0rmtM.1Title: Oligodendrocyte progenitor heterogeneity in normal aging and neurodegenerationAbstract:Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are one of the four major glial cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). As their name suggests, OPCs are primarily defined by their capacity to differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes that form myelin sheaths around the axons in the CNS. However, OPCs continue to tile the adult CNS long after developmental myelination has concluded, and they contribute sparingly to oligodendrocyte turnover, suggesting that OPCs play important roles beyond OL replacement. To define the possible space of non-canonical OPC functions in the adult brain, I construct a transcriptomic atlas at single-cell resolution to reveal patterns of heterogeneity at local and global scales of anatomical organization. First, I characterize OPC heterogeneity in the pathologically normal human brain. I profile cells from prefrontal cortex, primary motor cortex, and striatum of 156 unique donor individuals. Across all sampled brain regions, I identify a subset of OPCs that is characterized by an angiogenic gene signature and hypothesize that these cells are perivascular OPCs that associate closely with the cerebrovascular endothelium. Furthermore, I find significant differences in gene expression between cortical and striatal OPCs which may correspond to functional specializations that support local neuronal function. Second, I profile OPCs from the dorsal striatum of four mouse models. I find a distinct reactive subpopulation whose abundance increases with age and neuropathological burden. Additionally, I perform a comparative analysis of human and mouse OPCs. OPC gene expression profiles are broadly conserved across species, but the proposed perivascular OPC signature is unique to humans. Third, I characterize OPC transcriptomic dysregulation in two human neurodegenerative proteinopathies: Huntington’s disease (HD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In HD, I find that OPCs display signs of stem cell exhaustion, consistent with hypotheses of precocious OPC differentiation. In AD, I find evidence for increased mTORC2 activity and glutathione biosynthesis, reflecting a marked cellular response to oxidative stress. Together, this work deepens our understanding of OPC biology in the adult CNS and highlights areas for future study of OPC-specific contributions to neurodegenerative diseases.

Don't miss our final Coffee & Conversations event of the academic year!Embrace MIT's Values of Belonging and Community! Connect with people you know and those you don't, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships over a cup of coffee and a light snack!

Inspired by Devlin’s artwork Congregation, over 100 members of the MIT community came together to draw one another. Paired with individuals they did not previously know, the participants used drawing as a means of close observation and a pathway to creating human connections. The exhibition of drawings by students, faculty, and staff forms a collective portrait of the MIT community. The work is installed in MIT's new concert hall and is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

February 26, 2025 - July 17, 2025Hidden within MIT’s Distinctive Collections, many architectural elements from the earliest days of the Institute’s architecture program still survive as part of the Rotch Art Collection. Among the artworks that conservators salvaged was a set of striking windows of gypsum and stained-glass, dating to the late 18th- to 19th c. Ottoman Empire. This exhibition illuminates the life of these historic windows, tracing their refracted histories from Egypt to MIT, their ongoing conservation, and the cutting-edge research they still prompt.The Maihaugen Gallery (14N-130) is open Monday through Thursday, 10am - 4pm, excluding Institute holidays.

Swing by the Lab (14S-0513) for a paper marbling workshop and explore self-directed activities in the Wunsch Conservation Lab. Items on display during the open house include: Historical marbled papers, Martha Peterson Islamic Window Archive, Simulacra created by MIT Students, Zine-making activities, and more. Registration requested.