Abstract
Presentation Description :
Phenotypic and molecular differences across the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are thought to be responsible for differential sensitivity to retinal diseases. However, the exact location of these geographic differences is not known, limiting our understanding of these blinding diseases. In addition, this regional RPE heterogeneity is not recapitulated by the current cell culture systems. Using artificial intelligence, we first generated a single-cell morphometric map of the entire human RPE and defined subpopulations with varying sensitivity to different genetic retinal degenerations. Subsequently, we used induced pluripotent stem cells to generate foveal and mid-peripheral RPE cells that morphologically and functionally resemble the in vivo counterpart. In summary, this study lays the ground for understanding the molecular mechanisms behind regional RPE pathology.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.