Fig. 8. Rat cortical precursors have latent oligodendrogenic capacity in vitro. Fragments of E15.5 rat cortex or MGE were cultured as explants in collagen gels in basal defined medium for up to 6DIV. The explants were then fixed and immunolabelled with anti-NG2 antibody. (A,B) Cortical explants did not develop NG2⁺ progenitors until 6DIV. (C,D) In contrast, after 4DIV explants of MGE (C) contained process-bearing NG2⁺ cells and these increased in number and complexity by 6DIV (D).