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Updated: May 26, 2026
07:41
Isolation and Culture of Primary Retinal Müller Cells from Sprague-Dawley (SD) Rats
Published on: June 17, 2025
[Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) muller cells exhibit retinal stem/progenitor cell features in vitro]
Xiang-Yu Guo1, Li-Fang Jin, Shao-Hui Ji
1Yunnan Key Laboratory for Animal Reproductive Biology, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
Dong Wu Xue Yan Jiu = Zoological Research
|December 21, 2011
Summary
Primate Muller cells can revert to retinal progenitor cells, offering a new cell source for treating retinal diseases. This finding in rhesus monkeys advances regenerative medicine for vision loss.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Stem Cell Biology
Context:
- Retinal Muller cells in chicks, rats, and humans show progenitor potential.
- Nonhuman primates, closely related to humans, lack such documented evidence.
- This study investigates Muller cell plasticity in rhesus monkeys.
Purpose:
- To establish and characterize a rhesus monkey Muller cell line.
- To assess the potential of these cells to dedifferentiate into retinal progenitors.
- To explore their utility in regenerative medicine for retinal diseases.
Summary:
- A rhesus monkey Muller cell line was established, expressing markers similar to human Muller cells (GS, vimentin, CRALBP, EGFR) but distinct from rodent cells.
- Cultured cells expressed retinal progenitor markers (pax6, nestin, sox2, otx2, six6, six3) in neural stem cell medium.
- Retinoic acid treatment induced neuronal differentiation, indicating dedifferentiation capacity.
Impact:
- Primate Muller cells demonstrate plasticity, dedifferentiating into retinal progenitors.
- This finding suggests a potential new cell source for treating retinal degenerative diseases.
- Opens avenues for cell-based therapies in primate models and potentially humans.
