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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Subretinal Transplantation of MACS Purified Photoreceptor Precursor Cells into the Adult Mouse Retina
Published on: February 22, 2014
Intraretinal processing following photoreceptor rescue by non-retinal cells
I Pinilla1, N Cuenca, G Martínez-Navarrete
1Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Instituto Aragones de Ciencias de la Salud, Spain.
Abstract:
Royal College of Surgeon (RCS) rats undergo retinal degeneration due to the inability of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells to phagocytose shed outer segments. We explored the effect of introducing Schwann cells to the subretinal space of RCS rats (before the onset of retinal degeneration), by relying on electroretinogram (ERG) recordings and correlative retinal morphology. Scotopic ERGs recorded from cell-injected eyes showed preserved amplitudes of mixed a-wave b-wave, rod b-waves, and cone b-waves over controls (sham-injected eyes); photopic b-wave amplitudes and critical flicker fusion were also improved. Normal retinal morphology was found in areas of retinas that had received cell injections. Since Schwann cells have no phagocytic properties, their therapeutic effect is best explained through a paracrine mechanism (secretion of factors that ensure photoreceptor survival).
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