Oligodendrocyte precursor cells establish contacts with somata of active neurons

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) generate myelinating oligodendrocytes and interact with synapses to regulate neuronal networks. Neuronal activity induces proliferation or differentiation of OPCs, but it is unknown whether OPCs in turn affect neuronal activity. Here, we show that OPCs establish close contacts with the somata of active neurons. We found that neurons contacted by OPCs and their processes display reduced calcium signals, indicating that they regulate their activity.