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Generation of Retinal Organoids from Healthy and Retinal Disease-Specific Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: December 9, 2022
Generation of functional eyes from pluripotent cells
Andrea S Viczian1, Eduardo C Solessio, Yung Lyou
1Department of Ophthalmology, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, United States of America.
Plos Biology
|August 19, 2009
Summary
Scientists reprogrammed pluripotent Xenopus laevis cells into functional retinal cells. This in vivo strategy successfully generated eyes that support vision, offering potential for treating retinal degeneration.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Pluripotent stem cells, including embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, are crucial for generating organ-specific cell types.
- Generating functional retinal cells from pluripotent sources holds promise for treating retinal injuries and degenerative diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of generating functional retinas from a defined population of pluripotent Xenopus laevis cells using an in vivo strategy.
- To determine if induced retinal cells can form functional eyes and restore vision.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of pluripotent animal pole cells from Xenopus laevis blastula stage embryos.
- Transplantation of cells to different embryonic locations (flank, eye field) with and without misexpression of seven transcription factors.
- In vivo assessment of retinal cell formation, eye development, and functional integration.
Main Results:
- Misexpression of seven transcription factors induced pluripotent cells to form retinal cell types.
- Induced retinal cells formed functional eyes when transplanted into developing embryos, exhibiting molecular, anatomical, and electrophysiological similarities to normal eyes.
- The induced eyes were capable of guiding vision-based behavior.
Conclusions:
- The fate of pluripotent cells can be purposefully altered to generate multipotent retinal progenitor cells.
- These progenitor cells can differentiate into functional retinal cell classes and form neural circuitry sufficient for vision.
- This study demonstrates a viable in vivo strategy for generating functional retinas from pluripotent stem cells.
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01:22iPS Cell Differentiation
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