Pigmentation level of human iPSC-derived RPE does not indicate a specific gene expression profile.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Stem Cell Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells exhibit variable pigmentation in vitro.
• The relationship between RPE cell appearance and function requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the color intensity of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE (iPSC-RPE) cells correlates with their gene expression profiles.
• To assess whether RPE cell pigmentation is a reliable indicator of cellular function.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Automated Live imaging and cell Picking System (ALPS) for high-throughput imaging and single-cell RNA sequencing.
• Analyzed color intensities and gene expression profiles of iPSC-RPE cells at the single-cell level.

Main Results:

• iPSC-RPE cells clustered into four distinct groups based on gene expression.
• No significant correlation was observed between the color intensity of iPSC-RPE cells and their specific gene expression profiles.
• Pigmentation levels did not align with distinct functional gene expression patterns.

Conclusions:

• RPE cell color in vitro is not a strong indicator of functional characteristics.
• The observed pigmentation may represent a transient cellular state rather than a stable functional marker.