Oligodendrocytes are extensively coupled to astrocytes, a phenomenon ensuring glial homeostasis and maintenance of central nervous system myelin. Molecular disruption of this communication occurs in
demyelinating diseases such as
multiple sclerosis. Less is known about the vulnerability and reconstruction of the panglial network during adult
demyelination-remyelination. Here, we took advantage of lysolcithin-induced
demyelination to investigate the expression dynamics of the oligodendrocyte specific
connexin 47 (Cx47) and to some extent that of astrocyte
Cx43, and whether this dynamic could be modulated by grafted induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-neural progeny. Our data show that disruption of Cx43-Cx47 mediated hetero-cellular gap-junction intercellular communication following
demyelination is larger in size than
demyelination. Loss of Cx47 expression is timely rescued during remyelination and accelerated by the grafted neural precursors. Moreover, mouse and human iPSC-derived oligodendrocytes express Cx47, which co-labels with astrocyte
Cx43, indicating their integration into the panglial network. These data suggest that in rodents, full lesion repair following
transplantation occurs by panglial reconstruction in addition to remyelination. Targeting panglial elements by
cell therapy or pharmacological compounds may help accelerating or stabilizing re/myelination in myelin disorders.