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Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Rapid, Directed Differentiation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Human Embryonic or Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: October 30, 2017
Protocol for the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells into retinal pigment epithelial cells
Mark Zorin1, Rike Ewerling-Hähnel2, Kerstin Nagel-Wolfrum1
1Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
Abstract:
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are emerging as a valuable system for modeling tissues and organs. Here, we describe a highly scalable protocol for the differentiation of iPSCs into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), including a new step that makes it easier for researchers to obtain a high-purity culture. We also describe a cryopreservation technique for RPE progenitor cells to enable their storage. The use of cryopreserved cells allows a subsequent reduction in differentiation time compared to the full protocol.
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