What Does Iron Mean to an Oligodendrocyte?

Abstract

Iron is essential for life and plays a key role in multiple fundamental cellular functions. The brain has the highest rate of energy consumption, and within the brain, oligodendrocytes have the highest level of oxidative metabolism per volume. Oligodendrocytes also stain the strongest for iron. The high requirement for iron is related to an oligodendrocyte's primary function to produce the myelin sheath, which requires iron as a cofactor. In addition to the high-energy demands that accompany the production of such dense and extensive membranous sheaths, iron is also required for lipid synthesis. Although the involvement of iron in oligodendrocyte functioning is clear, how iron is specifically acquired and utilized by oligodendrocytes is not completely understood. The purpose of this review is to provide a complete and thorough overview of the role of iron in oligodendrocytes. Here, we discuss in detail what is currently known about key iron transport proteins that participate in the balance of iron in oligodendrocytes. Understanding how oligodendrocytes utilize iron is beneficial in understanding dysmyelinating diseases, and the knowledge could be utilized to develop treatment options.