Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig

Purpose. Transplantation of stem, progenitor, or precursor cells has resulted in photoreceptor replacement and evidence of functional efficacy in rodent models of retinal degeneration. Ongoing work has been directed toward the replication of these results in a large animal model, namely, the pig. Me...

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Main Authors: H. Klassen, J. F. Kiilgaard, K. Warfvinge, M. S. Samuel, R. S. Prather, F. Wong, R. M. Petters, M. la Cour, M. J. Young
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Stem Cells International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/939801
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author H. Klassen
J. F. Kiilgaard
K. Warfvinge
M. S. Samuel
R. S. Prather
F. Wong
R. M. Petters
M. la Cour
M. J. Young
author_facet H. Klassen
J. F. Kiilgaard
K. Warfvinge
M. S. Samuel
R. S. Prather
F. Wong
R. M. Petters
M. la Cour
M. J. Young
author_sort H. Klassen
collection DOAJ
description Purpose. Transplantation of stem, progenitor, or precursor cells has resulted in photoreceptor replacement and evidence of functional efficacy in rodent models of retinal degeneration. Ongoing work has been directed toward the replication of these results in a large animal model, namely, the pig. Methods. Retinal progenitor cells were derived from the neural retina of GFP-transgenic pigs and transplanted to the subretinal space of rhodopsin Pro347Leu-transgenic allorecipients, in the early stage of the degeneration and the absence of immune suppression. Results. Results confirm the survival of allogeneic porcine RPCs without immune suppression in the setting of photoreceptor dystrophy. The expression of multiple photoreceptor markers by grafted cells included the rod outer segment-specific marker ROM-1. Further evidence of photoreceptor differentiation included the presence of numerous photoreceptor rosettes within GFP-positive grafts, indicative of the development of cellular polarity and self-assembly into rudiments of outer retinal tissue. Conclusion. Together, these data support the tolerance of RPCs as allografts and demonstrate the high level of rod photoreceptor development that can be obtained from cultured RPCs following transplantation. Strategies for further progress in this area, together with possible functional implications, are discussed.
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spelling doaj-art-f759e8219a864abdbbf2f247d225a8a62025-08-20T02:22:46ZengWileyStem Cells International1687-966X1687-96782012-01-01201210.1155/2012/939801939801Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic PigH. Klassen0J. F. Kiilgaard1K. Warfvinge2M. S. Samuel3R. S. Prather4F. Wong5R. M. Petters6M. la Cour7M. J. Young8Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Ophthalmology Research, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4390, USADepartment of Ophthalmology, Glostrup Hospital, SUND, University of Copenhagen, 2600 Copenhagen, DenmarkWarfvinge Science Support and Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University, SE, 221 84 Lund, SwedenDivision of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USADivision of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USADuke Eye Center, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USADepartment of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USADepartment of Ophthalmology, Glostrup Hospital, SUND, University of Copenhagen, 2600 Copenhagen, DenmarkMinda de Gunzburg Center for Ocular Regeneration, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USAPurpose. Transplantation of stem, progenitor, or precursor cells has resulted in photoreceptor replacement and evidence of functional efficacy in rodent models of retinal degeneration. Ongoing work has been directed toward the replication of these results in a large animal model, namely, the pig. Methods. Retinal progenitor cells were derived from the neural retina of GFP-transgenic pigs and transplanted to the subretinal space of rhodopsin Pro347Leu-transgenic allorecipients, in the early stage of the degeneration and the absence of immune suppression. Results. Results confirm the survival of allogeneic porcine RPCs without immune suppression in the setting of photoreceptor dystrophy. The expression of multiple photoreceptor markers by grafted cells included the rod outer segment-specific marker ROM-1. Further evidence of photoreceptor differentiation included the presence of numerous photoreceptor rosettes within GFP-positive grafts, indicative of the development of cellular polarity and self-assembly into rudiments of outer retinal tissue. Conclusion. Together, these data support the tolerance of RPCs as allografts and demonstrate the high level of rod photoreceptor development that can be obtained from cultured RPCs following transplantation. Strategies for further progress in this area, together with possible functional implications, are discussed.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/939801
spellingShingle H. Klassen
J. F. Kiilgaard
K. Warfvinge
M. S. Samuel
R. S. Prather
F. Wong
R. M. Petters
M. la Cour
M. J. Young
Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig
Stem Cells International
title Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig
title_full Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig
title_fullStr Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig
title_full_unstemmed Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig
title_short Photoreceptor Differentiation following Transplantation of Allogeneic Retinal Progenitor Cells to the Dystrophic Rhodopsin Pro347Leu Transgenic Pig
title_sort photoreceptor differentiation following transplantation of allogeneic retinal progenitor cells to the dystrophic rhodopsin pro347leu transgenic pig
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/939801
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