Invited reviewLive-imaging in the CNS: New insights on oligodendrocytes, myelination, and their responses to inflammation

- Progress in live-imaging of oligodendrocyte-axon interactions and injury.
- Advantages and disadvantages of available platforms (in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo).
- Applications of single molecule imaging in oligodendrocyte biology.
- Future opportunities, and practical applications, for live-imaging of oligodendrocyte and myelin injury responses and repair.

The formation and repair of myelin involves alterations in the molecular and physical properties of oligodendrocytes, and highly coordinated interactions with their target axons. Characterising the nature and timing of these events at the molecular and cellular levels illuminates the fundamental events underlying myelin formation, and provides opportunities for the development of therapies to replace myelin lost through traumatic injury and inflammation. The dynamic nature of these events requires that live-imaging methods be used to capture this information accurately and completely. Developments in imaging technologies, and model systems suitable for their application to myelination, have advanced the study of myelin formation, injury and repair. Similarly, new techniques for single molecule imaging, and novel imaging probes, are providing opportunities to resolve the dynamics of myelin proteins during myelination. Here, we explore these developments in the context of myelin formation and injury, identify unmet needs within the field where progress can be advanced through live-imaging approaches, identify technical challenges that are limiting this progress, and highlight practical applications for these approaches that could lead to therapies for the protection of oligodendrocytes and myelin from injury, and restore myelin lost through injury and disease.This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Oligodendrocytes in Health and Disease'.