One form of the present invention is directed to a method of remyelinatingdemyelinated axons by treating the demyelinated axons with oligodendrocyteprogenitor cells under conditions which permit remyelination of the axons.Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of treating asubject having a condition mediated by a loss of myelin or a loss ofoligodendrocytes by administering to the subject oligodendrocyte progenitorcells under conditions effective to treat the condition mediated by a loss ofmyelin or a loss of oligodendrocytes. A further aspect of the presentinvention relates to an in vitro method of identifying and separatingoligodendrocyte progenitor cells from a mixed population containing othermammalian brain or spinal cord cell types. This further aspect of the presentinvention involves removing neurons and neuronal progenitor cells from themixed population to produce a treated mixed population. Oligodendrocyteprogenitor cells are then separated from the treated mixed population to forman enriched population of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.
