OPCs eat in response to sensory experiences

Oligodendrocytes are derived from a subtype of glia called oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). The potential functions of OPCs beyond oligodendrogenesis however, have remained elusive. In their latest study, Auguste et al. demonstrate that OPCs could play a regulatory role in synaptic connectivity in the developing and adult mouse visual cortex - a function that is independent of oligodendrogenesis.