Derivation of traceable and transplantable photoreceptors from mouse embryonic stem cells.

Stem Cell Reports

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, FAA, Unit of Gene Therapy & Stem Cell Biology, Avenue de France 15, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Published: June 2014

Retinal degenerative diseases resulting in the loss of photoreceptors are one of the major causes of blindness. Photoreceptor replacement therapy is a promising treatment because the transplantation of retina-derived photoreceptors can be applied now to different murine retinopathies to restore visual function. To have an unlimited source of photoreceptors, we derived a transgenic embryonic stem cell (ESC) line in which the Crx-GFP transgene is expressed in photoreceptors and assessed the capacity of a 3D culture protocol to produce integration-competent photoreceptors. This culture system allows the production of a large number of photoreceptors recapitulating the in vivo development. After transplantation, integrated cells showed the typical morphology of mature rods bearing external segments and ribbon synapses. We conclude that a 3D protocol coupled with ESCs provides a safe and renewable source of photoreceptors displaying a development and transplantation competence comparable to photoreceptors from age-matched retinas.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4050344PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2014.04.010DOI Listing

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