The ability to produce highly purified populations of individual cell types is crucial for examining the molecular regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and function. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are also known as olfactory ensheathing glia (OEG) and olfactory nerve ensheathing cells (ONECs). These glia do not fit the classic description of stem cells, but have a number of intriguing developmental characteristics that have recently piqued the interest of the developmental neurobiology community. Their ability to support neuronal regeneration, both within the olfactory system and elsewhere in the central nervous system (CNS) has made them an attractive cellular model for transplantation paradigms. Their ability to switch, in vitro, from a nonmyelinating to a myelinating state, has enabled investigators to examine OECs for events leading to the onset of myelination.
