May 2006
Volume 47, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2006
Do Retinal Progenitor Cells Continue to Proliferate Following Subretinal Transplantation in Retinal Degenerate Rats?
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • G. Qiu
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Retina–Ophthalmology,
  • M.J. Seiler
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Retina–Ophthalmology,
    Cell and Neurobiology,, University of Southern California,, Los Angeles, CA
  • M. Wang
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Ophthalmology,
  • T. Vien
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Retina–Ophthalmology,
  • S. Deb
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Retina–Ophthalmology,
  • Z. Chen
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Retina–Ophthalmology,
  • S.R. Sadda
    Doheny Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA
    Retina–Ophthalmology,
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  G. Qiu, None; M.J. Seiler, None; M. Wang, None; T. Vien, None; S. Deb, None; Z. Chen, None; S.R. Sadda, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  Foundation Fighting Blindness, Anonymous Sponsor, Foundation for Retinal Research, Fletcher Jones Foundation, NIH EY03040.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2006, Vol.47, 5740. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation

      G. Qiu, M.J. Seiler, M. Wang, T. Vien, S. Deb, Z. Chen, S.R. Sadda; Do Retinal Progenitor Cells Continue to Proliferate Following Subretinal Transplantation in Retinal Degenerate Rats? . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2006;47(13):5740.

      Download citation file:


      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
  • Supplements
Abstract

Purpose: : Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) continuously proliferate in serum–free culture, and co–express nestin and retinal specific neuronal markers while undergoing an in vitro neuronal linage differentiation pathway. This study investigated the proliferation and differentiation characteristics of RPCs in vivo at different time points following subretinal transplantation in retinal degenerate rats.

Methods: : Embryonic day17 derived rat retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) were cultured and expanded in serum free media. Passage 2 RPCs were transplanted into the subretinal space of postnatal day 48 S334ter–3 rats (12 rats received RPC transplants and 4 received PBS injections). The total 16 rats were evenly divided into 4 groups and sacrificed at postoperative week 1,2,3,4 respectively. All rats were examined by biomicroscopy and fluorescein angiography (FA) at postoperative week one, and received peritoneal injections of BrdU for 3 consecutive days prior to sacrifice. Serial cryosections containing RPC transplants were stained by immunohistochemistry for nestin, BrdU, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), as well as for retinal specific neuronal markers.

Results: : Postoperative biomicroscopy and FA demonstrated no significant inflammatory reaction following RPC transplantation in any animal, and only mild subretinal hemorrhages in 3 rats.BrdU immunoreactive cells were not observed within the RPC grafts or in the degenerated retina (of PBS injected animals) at any follow–up time point. Nestin expression was upregulated in the transplanted area (both within the graft and the host retina), and the pattern of nestin staining was similar to that of GFAP.

Conclusions: : Proliferation of RPCs appears to cease immediately after subretinal transplantation in end–stage retinal degeneration rats. The subretinal environment of adult retinal degenerate rats may harbor inhibitory cues for cell proliferation.

Keywords: retina • transplantation • retinal development 
×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×