The subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus are known as neurogenic niches. We show that the median eminence (ME) of the hypothalamus comprises BrdU⁺ newly proliferating cells co-expressing NG2 (oligodendrocyte progenitors) and RIP (pre-myelinating oligodendrocytes), suggesting their differentiation toward mature oligodendrocytes (OLs). ME cells can generate neurospheres (NS) in vitro, which differentiate mostly to OLs compared with SVZ-NS that typically generate neurons. Interestingly, this population of oligodendrocyte progenitors is increased in the ME from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)-affected mice. Notably, the thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) expressed by astrocytes, acts as negative regulator of oligodendrogenesis in vitro and is downregulated in the ME of EAE mice. Importantly, transplanted ME-NS preferentially differentiate to MBP⁺ OLs compared with SVZ-NS in Shiverer mice. Hence, discovering the ME as a new site for myelin-producing cells has a great importance for advising future therapy for demyelinating diseases and spinal cord injury.

侧脑室的室下区（SVZ）和海马齿状回的颗粒下区（SGZ）被称为神经源性生态位。我们发现下丘脑的正中隆起（ME）包含 BrdU ⁺新增殖的细胞，共表达 NG2（少突胶质细胞祖细胞）和 RIP（髓鞘形成前少突胶质细胞），表明它们向成熟少突胶质细胞（OL）分化。 ME 细胞可以在体外产生神经球 (NS)，与通常产生神经元的 SVZ-NS 相比，NS 细胞主要分化为 OL。有趣的是，受实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎 (EAE) 影响的小鼠的 ME 中少突胶质细胞祖细胞群有所增加。值得注意的是，星形胶质细胞表达的血小板反应蛋白 1 (TSP1)在体外充当少突胶质细胞生成的负调节因子，并在 EAE 小鼠的 ME 中下调。重要的是，与Shiverer小鼠中的 SVZ-NS 相比，移植的 ME-NS 优先分化为 MBP ⁺ OL。因此，发现 ME 作为髓鞘生成细胞的新位点对于为脱髓鞘疾病和脊髓损伤的未来治疗提供建议具有重要意义。