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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Retinal Organoid Induction System for Derivation of 3D Retinal Tissues from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: April 12, 2021
Three-dimensional early retinal progenitor 3D tissue constructs derived from human embryonic stem cells
Gabriel Nistor1, Magdalene J Seiler, Fengrong Yan
1Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Purpose:
To develop three-dimensional (3D) constructs of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and early retina progenitor cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).
Methods:
3D tissue constructs were developed by culturing hESC-derived neural retinal progenitors in a matrix on top of hESC-derived RPE cells in a cell culture insert. An osmolarity gradient maintained the nutrition of the 3D cell constructs. Cross-sections through hESC-derived tissue constructs were characterized by immunohistochemistry for various transcription factors and cell markers.
Results:
hESC-derived tissue constructs expressed transcription factors characteristic of retinal development, such as pax6, Otx2, Chx10, retinal RAX; Brn3b (necessary for differentiation of retinal ganglion cells); and crx and nrl (role in photoreceptor development). Many cells expressed neuronal markers including nestin, beta-tubulin and microtubule-associated proteins.
Conclusions:
This study shows for the first time that 3D early retinal progenitor tissue constructs can be derived from hESCs.
