Control of vertebrate retinal cell production

Regeneration of vertebrate sensory cells can be seen as an extension and elaboration of the process of cellular repair and to understand repair requires knowledge of how cell division and cell fate are determined. To approach these problems, we have developed a slice culture for the teleost retina. Cells continue to divide in the same pattern in this slice culture as they do in vivo as demonstrated with [3H]thymidine labeling. Moreover, cells which divided in culture became retinal cell phenotypes as identified with monoclonal antibodies. Some presumptive rod progenitors in the outer nuclear layer in the center of the retina were also labeled cone-specific, possibly as a regeneration response. These data add to the evidence that cell fate is determined by the environment. This slice preparation will be a useful model system for analyzing putative environmental cues responsible for guiding cell proliferation and differentiation in the fish retina.