Derivation of Traceable and Transplantable Photoreceptors from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

• Main Authors: Sarah Decembrini, Ute Koch, Freddy Radtke, Alexandre Moulin, Yvan Arsenijevic
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014-06-01
• Series: Stem Cell Reports
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213671114001179

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.