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PubMed1984

Embryonic development of monoaminergic neurons in the chick retina.

By means of a histofluorescence technique, embryonic and postnatal development of monoaminergic neurons was followed in the chicken retina with or without intravitreal injection of monoamines 30-60 minutes before eye removal. Fluorescent cells were tentatively classified into five subsets with respect to the soma shape, localization, migration of somata during retinal development, uptake capacity (color and intensity in fluorescence), and sensitivity to neurotoxins. The five subsets of cells were endogenous dopaminergic (DA), catecholamine-accumulating (CA), indoleamine-accumulating (IA), CA-bipolarlike, and IA-bipolarlike cells. Greenish endogenous DA-cells first appeared at the 14-15th embryonic day. The cell body of DA-cells was initially fusiform and located slightly distal to the innermost level of the inner nuclear layer (INL). They became round or oval and migrated to the innermost level of the INL by day 20. Both large and small bottle-shaped CA-cells were visualized at an intermediate portion of INL by intravitreal injection of exogenously applied dopamine or noradrenaline (1-2 micrograms/eye) at day 10. Large bottle-shaped cells, like the DA cells, changed to round or oval and migrated to the innermost level of the INL by day 20. On the other hand, small bottle-shaped CA-cells retained their cell shape and location in the INL as retinal development progressed. Therefore, the large bottle-shaped CA-cells seen in an early developmental stage correspond to the DA-cells. IA-cells were visualized one or two cell rows outward in the INL first at day 13-14 by intravitreal injection of 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine or 5-hydroxytryptamine (1-5 micrograms).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine↗
PubMed1990

Early development of retinal ganglion cell dendrites in the marsupial Setonix brachyurus, quokka.

The dendritic morphology of retinal ganglion cells was studied in flat-mounted retinae of the marsupial Setonix brachyurus, quokka. In the adults, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was applied to the vitread surface of flattened retinae. Wide-, large-, medium-, and small-field classes appeared to correspond to gamma, alpha, delta, and beta cells, respectively, in the cat (Boycott and Wässle, J. Physiol. 249:397-419, 1974). To reveal the early stages of dendritic development, HRP was placed on the optic nerve of isolated eye cups from the day of birth to postnatal day (P) 63 when the area centralis is beginning to form (Dunlop and Beazley, Dev. Brain Res. 23:81-90, 1985). Youngest cells lacked dendrites and had an elongate soma in the cytoblastic layer with an endfoot contacting the ventricular surface. Once in the ganglion cell layer, the soma was rounded and dendrites appeared as short, unbranched processes. Most cells were asymmetric or "polarised" with the axon arising from the side nearest the optic disk and dendrites from the opposite side. Polarity was maintained in cells with longer, branched dendrites. A small proportion of cells exhibited a reversed polarity in which the axon arose from the side nearest the retinal edge and dendrites towards the disk. Cells appeared to acquire an approximately symmetric, adult-like tree by the addition of new primary dendrites between the existing ones and the axon hillock. Wide-, large-, medium-, and small-field cells were evident from P6, P25, P31, and P40, respectively. Spines were observed on dendrites and axons during development but were rare in the adult. Some dendro-axons were seen at all ages examined. The existence of an initial axodendritic polarity in retinal ganglion cells supports the hypothesis that the axon hillock is the determinant of dendritic geometry (Maffei and Perry, Dev. Brain Res. 41:185-194, 1988). Polarity may also contribute to the establishment of "radial orientation" in which the long axis of the elliptical dendritic tree of cells outside the area centralis points towards central retina and the weighted centre is displaced towards the retinal periphery (Leventhal and Schall, J. Comp. Neurol. 220:465-475, 1983).

Animals↗
PubMed1998

NK cell modulation of murine cytomegalovirus retinitis.

CMV retinitis, the most common ophthalmic infection of AIDS patients, causes blindness if left untreated. To study the role of NK cells in the modulation of CMV ocular infection, 9.0 x 10(2) plaque-forming units of the Smith strain of murine CMV (MCMV) was injected into the supraciliary space of the left eyes of BALB/c mice. Lysis of NK-sensitive target cells (YAC-1) by effectors from the draining lymph nodes peaked at day 5 postinfection, while the splenic cytolytic response was biphasic, with peaks at days 2 and 7 postinfection. Flow cytometry showed that NK cells (DX-5+) increased in spleens and eyes 5 days after supraciliary infection with MCMV compared with uninfected or mock-infected controls. Eight days after supraciliary injection with 9.0 x 10(2) plaque-forming units of MCMV, 7 of 10 NK-depleted mice developed retinitis compared with only 2 of 10 non-NK-depleted control mice. Poly(I-C) activation of NK cells in T cell-depleted animals protected mice from MCMV retinitis; only 2 of 10 mice in the poly(I-C)-treated group developed retinitis compared with 8 of 10 T cell-depleted, non-poly(I-C)-treated control mice. These results show the importance of NK cells in preventing MCMV retinitis and suggest that NK cells may also be involved in modulation of cytomegalovirus retinitis in human patients.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Photopigment gene expression and rhabdom formation in the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii).

This study examines the expression of the photopigment gene in the developing retina of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii(Crustacea, Malacostraca, Decapoda). Both sense and anti-sense RNA probes were used for in situ hybridization (ISH) of whole embryos collected at various stages during development. A characteristic of retinal development is the formation of screening pigment in the retinular cells of the retinal ommatidia. This pigmentation is seen as a band that begins at the lateral side of the retinal field and progresses medially. At hatching the retina is approximately 50% pigmented. ISH of whole embryos shows that expression of the photopigment gene by the retinular cells correlates with the extent of the screening pigment band in the retina and with the presence of rhabdoms within the ommatidia. Sections taken through embryos after being hybridized indicate that staining is localized in the cytoplasm of the retinular cells and in the axonal region below the basement membrane. No staining reaction was seen in the rhabdoms of older ommatidia. ISH staining was also seen at the anterior midline of the protocerebrum where extraretinal photoreceptors have been reported. The data presented here show a close correlation of opsin expression within the retinular cells of the ommatidia and the formation of the very early rhabdoms, similar to Drosophila. The results will be discussed in relation to recent studies in Drosophila that suggest rhodopsin plays a role in effecting the organization of the terminal web-like cytoskeleton at the base of the developing rhabdom microvilli.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vitrectomy for myopic posterior retinoschisis or foveal detachment.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of vitrectomy for posterior retinoschisis (RS) or foveal detachment (FD) associated with posterior staphyloma in myopic eyes. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 14 consecutive patients (53-77 years of age; 16 eyes) with progressive visual impairment as a result of myopic RS or FD. Optical coherence tomography demonstrated the presence of a variety of RS and FD characteristics. Five eyes had RS alone, and 11 eyes had RS and FD. Two eyes with RS and severe FD developed retinal detachment in conjunction with a tiny macular hole. Vitrectomy, including posterior vitreous separation in all eyes and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in six eyes, had been performed. The patients were followed postoperatively for 6 to 66 months (mean, 24 months). The anatomical outcome and visual acuity were retrospectively analyzed in this study. RESULTS: Although the two eyes with RS and severe FD developed retinal detachment with a macular hole after an initial vitrectomy, final retinal reattachment was achieved in all 16 eyes. Visual acuity improved in nine eyes and remained unchanged in seven eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy with posterior vitreous separation is effective for reattaching the macula and preventing a deterioration of vision, although eyes with RS and severe FD may be at risk for the development of a macular hole after the initial vitrectomy.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Effects of transgene Oncostatin M on the development of retinal neuron in transgenic mice.

PURPOSE: Oncostatin M (OSM) is a cytokine released by macrophages and lymphocytes that can function as a growth regulator. A current study shows that leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a homologue of OSM, can prevent photoreceptor cell death when expressed in the lens of transgenic mice. We determined the efforts of lens-specific overexpression of OSM on the development of eye. METHODS: A truncated mouse OSM cDNA (-660 bp) was linked to the alpha A-crytallin promoter, and injected into single-cell embryos with microinjection. Then, transgenic mice were established. The mRNA expression of transgene OSM was detected by in situ hybridization. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of syntaxin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), synaptophysin in the retinas of transgenic mice. RESULTS: At embryonic day (E 17.5), the expression of the syntaxin at the inner and mid portion of the retinas of transgenic mice was much higher than that of the retinas of non-transgenic mice. The expression of GFAP was detected in the retinas of transgenic mice, while no expression in non-transgenic normal FVB (FVB/N) mice was detected in this stage. At postnatal day one (P1), the expression of synaptophysin was detected in the retinas of transgenic mice, but there was no such expression in FVB/N mice. CONCLUSIONS: Lens-specific overexpression of OSM induces premature differentiation of amacrine cells, gial cells, and photoreceptors in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Retinal detachment following neodymium-YAG laser capsulotomy.

Five patients developed retinal detachments within one month of undergoing neodymium-YAG laser posterior capsulotomy. In four patients rhegmatogenous retinal detachments developed in association with typical aphakic breaks; in the fifth patient a previously stable extramacular traction detachment extended into the fovea. In all five patients scleral buckling or vitrectomy successfully reattached the retina and visual acuity improved. None of the findings associated with the detachments could be definitely attributed to the YAG laser. These included the lack of structural or positional changes in the vitreous as well as the absence of retinal damage. We were unable to learn the specific settings used for each laser but were told that the minimum energy levels needed to produce a capsulotomy were used.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Exogenous, but not endogenous, glucocorticoid receptor induces glutamine synthetase gene expression in early stage embryonic retina.

Although glucocorticoid receptors are present throughout retinal development, the chicken glutamine synthetase (GS) gene becomes hormonally inducible between embryonic day 7.5 (E7.5) and E8. In this report we demonstrate that a transiently expressed GS-chloramphenicol (CAT) fusion gene is subject to temporal control resembling that experienced by the endogenous GS gene during in vitro retinal development. In addition, an enhancer located approximately 2 kilobases upstream of the GS transcription start site renders an SV40-CAT fusion plasmid hormonally inducible in E10, but not E5.5 retina, thereby implicating this element as the mediator of developmentally regulated expression. The enhancer contains a single glucocorticoid-response element juxtaposed to an essential ancillary site. Band shift assays demonstrate that nuclear extracts obtained from E5.5, E10, and E18 retina all contain similar levels of proteins that interact with the ancillary site, suggesting that developmental regulation of the hormonal response does not reflect the timed appearance of an ancillary factor. However, supplying exogenous glucocorticoid receptor through cotransfection is sufficient to produce hormonally inducible expression of the glutamine synthetase-CAT fusion gene in nonresponsive early stage retina. Based on these data, we postulate that the general glucocorticoid signaling pathway is compromised in early stage retina in a manner that is compensated by overexpression of the glucocorticoid receptor.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Evolution of sarcoid granulomas of the retina.

PURPOSE: To report a case of a young woman with a history of sarcoidosis who developed retinal granulomas. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 33-year old woman with history of sarcoidosis with involvement of the central nervous system, confirmed by skin biopsy, bronchoscopy, and neuroimaging, presented with visual loss and was found to have choroidal and optic nerve granulomas in the left eye, and subsequently developed retinal granulomas in the left eye. CONCLUSION: Retinal granuloma is a rare manifestation of sarcoidosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

SPACRCAN in the interphotoreceptor matrix of the mouse retina: molecular, developmental and promoter analysis.

SPACRCAN is a novel proteoglycan present in the interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) of the rat and human retina that resists aqueous extraction through its binding to hyaluronan. The purpose of this study was: to clone mouse Spacrcan; to characterize the promoter elements; to define the deduced amino acid sequence; to establish the time of Spacrcan expression during retinal development; and to determine the time of appearance and distribution of SPACRCAN protein. Spacrcan cDNA clone was obtained through PCR amplification of a mouse retina cDNA library, and RT-PCR amplification and 5'RACE of mouse retina RNA. The deduced polypeptide sequence of mouse SPACRCAN contains a signal peptide at the N-terminal, seven N-link glycosylation sites, numerous potential O-linked glycosylation sites in a central mucin-like domain, two glycosaminoglycan attachment sites, five potential hyaluronan-binding motifs, two epidermal growth factor-like domains, and a hydrophobic stretch of 23 amino acids near the C-terminal. Comparison of the genomic structure of mouse and human SPACRCAN showed significant structure conservation. Analysis of the promoter region revealed several important putative regulatory elements including a Ret-1/PCE-1 element, an 11 base motif for Crx binding, six copies of PIRE, a Ret-4 element, three copies of AP-1, a CRE element, and five copies of GATA3. Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to determine the tissue specificity of Spacrcan mRNA and to localize SPACRCAN in developing retina. Spacrcan mRNA is expressed in both retina and pineal gland and was detectable as early as embryonic day 15. The protein is first detectable in the IPM at postnatal day 8 where it increases in concert with the extension of photoreceptor inner and outer segments from the outer retinal surface. The presence of several unique regulatory elements in the promoter region and characteristic molecular features shared with the orthologue in human and rat suggest an important functional role of SPACRCAN in the IPM. The time of appearance of the SPACRCAN protein during retinal development suggests that this matrix protein may establish the extracellular microenvironment into which photoreceptor outer segments are elaborated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Relationships between complex Delta expression and the specification of retinal cell fates during Drosophila eye development.

Analysis of retinal development in Delta (Dl) temperature-sensitive mutants reveals requirements for Delta function in the specification of all retinal cells, including photoreceptors, cone cells, pigment cells and cells that make up interommatidial bristles. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry indicate that Delta is expressed dynamically during the specification of different cell types. Comparisons of Delta expression patterns with developmental defects in Dl mutants implies that Delta functions in a cell-nonautonomous manner in the specification of photoreceptors. Delta protein resides predominantly in subcellular vesicles located primarily at the apical ends of developing retinal cells. Localization of Delta protein in Dl and shibire tsl mutants implies that Delta is targeted to the cell surface, but is efficiently removed via endocytosis, resulting in vesicular accumulation.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The orphan nuclear receptor Tlx regulates Pax2 and is essential for vision.

Although the development of the vertebrate eye is well described, the number of transcription factors known to be key to this process is still limited. The localized expression of the orphan nuclear receptor Tlx in the optic cup and discrete parts of the central nervous system suggested the possible role of Tlx in the formation or function of these structures. Analyses of Tlx targeted mice revealed that, in addition to the central nervous system cortical defects, lack of Tlx function results in progressive retinal and optic nerve degeneration with associated blindness. An extensive screen of Tlx-positive and Tlx-negative P19 neural precursors identified Pax2 as a candidate target gene. This identification is significant, because Pax2 is known to be involved in retinal development in both the human and the mouse eye. We find that Pax2 is a direct target and that the Tlx binding site in its promoter is conserved between mouse and human. These studies show that Tlx is a key component of retinal development and vision and an upstream regulator of the Pax2 signaling cascade.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Neural retina of chick embryo in organ culture: effects of blockade of growth factors by suramin.

The neural retina is a highly organized organ whose final histoarchitecture depends on the presence of diverse growth factors and on their interactions with extracellular matrix components. However, the role of growth factors on retinal development is not fully understood. Suramin has been shown to produce diverse cellular effects via the simultaneous block of the action of several growth factors. We have therefore studied the effects of suramin on organotypic culture of chick embryo neural retina in order to gain further insights into the participation of growth factors in neural retinal development. Neural retina was incubated for 24 h with suramin at 50-200 microM and then processed to determine cell proliferation, nuclear morphology, and actin distribution. Suramin provoked extensive morphological changes revealed by a decrease in BrdU incorporation, alterations in cellular organization, and disruption of the outer limiting membrane, with the emergence of cellular elements through it. All of these effects were dose-dependent and markedly attenuated by the simultaneous presence of suramin and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) in the culture medium. These findings indicate that suramin induces pleiotropic effects on the histoarchitecture of the chicken neural retina in organ culture and suggest that FGF-2 is one of the biological modulators involved in the maintenance of the structural organization of the chicken neural retina.

Actins↗
PubMed1995

Quantification of normal cell death in the rat retina: implications for clone composition in cell lineage analysis.

Naturally occurring cell death complicates the analysis of cell lineage studies by making the surviving members of a clone appear more closely related than they actually are. Here we ask how much normal cell death occurs during rat retinal development, and whether that amount of death is sufficient to confuse the analysis of cell lineage relationships. We measure total cell death in the retina by combining relative counts of dead cells with absolute measurements of total cell loss. For most cell types, but not rods, we find that half of the cells generated die during normal retinal development. We use a computer model to quantify the effects of different amounts of cell death in a simulated lineage study. The simulation indicates that 50% cell death means that clonal variability analysed after the cell death period is not necessarily a good indicator of how much variability actually occurs in the underlying lineage.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Role of target tissue in regulating the development of retinal ganglion cells in the albino rat: effects of kainate lesions in the superior colliculus.

Kainic acid or ibotenic acid was injected unilaterally into the major target regions of the axons of retinal ganglion cells--the superior colliculus (SC) or dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (DLG)--of rat pups ranging in age from postnatal day 0 to postnatal day 10 (P0 - P10). While the collicular or geniculate neurons within the injection site died within 48 hours of the injection, damage to axons and terminals of extrinsic origin within the injected region was not apparent. The neuronal degeneration induced by the neurotoxins, observed at both the light and electron microscopic levels, resembled the neuronal degeneration that occurs in the colliculus during normal development. Macrophages were identified in the regions containing degenerating cells. Two to three weeks after the injections of neurotoxin, massive injections of the enzyme, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), were made into the retinorecipient nuclei. After about 24-hour survival time the numbers of retinal ganglion cells were estimated by counting the number of neurons containing HRP reaction products in sample areas distributed in a regular rectangular array across the entire retinal surface. In the animals in which the neurotoxin was injected into the SC during the first 4 postnatal days, there was a substantial reduction (on average 41.5%; the range: 27.5-65.5%) in the normal number (mean value of 113,000--Potts et al.: Dev. Brain Res. 3:481-486, '82) of retinal ganglion cells surviving the period of "naturally occurring ganglion cell death" in the retinae contralateral to the injected SC. By contrast, injections of neurotoxins into the DLG and/or the optic tract of newborn rats did not result in a significant reduction in the numbers of retinal ganglion cells surviving the period of naturally occurring ganglion cell death. The period of sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells to the injection of neurotoxin into the colliculi extends from birth to about the end of the first postnatal week; the greatest sensitivity seems to be restricted to the first 3-4 postnatal days. In the retinae in which the total number (and density) of ganglion cells was substantially reduced by the selective destruction of their target cells, the centro-peripheral difference in the somal diameters of the ganglion cells (apparent in normal animals) was abolished, both amongst the whole population of ganglion cells and amongst the ganglion cells with the largest somata, relatively thick axons, and large-gauge primary dendrites (Class I cells). The number and distribution of the Class I cells in the depleted retinae were, however, unaltered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aging↗
PubMed1992

Expression of developmentally defined retinal phenotypes in the histogenesis of retinoblastoma.

Retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular tumor of childhood, is a malignant neoplasm that arises during retinal development. The embryonal cell target for neoplastic transformation is not yet clearly defined. To better understand the histogenetic potential of this tumor, the expression of photoreceptor and glial cell-associated proteins were examined in 22 primary retinoblastomas. Interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein (IRBP), cone and rod opsins were selected as the photoreceptor specific proteins due to their different temporal patterns of expression during normal retinal development. Neoplastic Müller cell differentiation, and non-neoplastic reactive astrocytes were identified using cellular retinaldehyde binding-protein (CRAlBP), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), respectively. Photoreceptor proteins were present in 16 cases and showed different cellular patterns of expression. IRBP and cone opsin were usually abundant. Although rod opsin was clearly identified in eight tumors, its expression was more restricted than either IRBP or cone opsin. This differential pattern of expression, opposite to the normal pattern of photoreceptor gene expression in the adult retina, corresponded to a marked decrease in mRNA for rod opsin. Cone opsin and IRBP colocalized in fleurettes demonstrating that neoplastic human cone cells are capable of IRBP synthesis. Müller cell differentiation was present in 12 of the 16 cases in which photoreceptor proteins were detected. In contrast, GFAP was only present in reactive, stromal astrocytes associated with blood vessels. Our data suggest that the retinoblastoma has the histogenetic potential of the immature neural retinal epithelium which can give rise to both photoreceptor and Müller cell lineages. The differential expression of cone and rod phenotypes in retinoblastoma is consistent with the "default" mechanism of cone cell differentiation.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed2006

Molecular cloning and characterization of chick SPACRCAN.

MY-174, a monoclonal antibody that reacts with specific sialylated O-linked glycoconjugates of chick SPACR (sialoprotein associated with cones and rods), also recognizes another molecule of 300 kDa. Here, we verified that this 300-kDa molecule is chick SPACRCAN (sialoproteoglycan associated with cones and rods), another member of a novel interphotoreceptor matrix molecule family. Screening for chick SPACRCAN was carried out by plaque hybridization using a probe for chick SPACR. Specific polyclonal antibodies raised against chick SPACRCAN were used for the following experiments. To determine whether the 300-kDa molecule detected by MY-174 was identical to 300-kDa chick SPACRCAN, the migrations of these bands were examined after various glycosidase digestions. Furthermore, the expression levels were measured during retinal development and compared with those of chick SPACR. The results demonstrated that the 300-kDa molecule recognized by MY-174 was chick SPACRCAN, and we further identified it as a proteoglycan with chondroitin sulfate chains. SPACRCAN had heavily sialylated N- and O-linked glycoconjugates, and its MY-174 antigenicity was abolished by O-glycanase treatment after neuraminidase treatment, as observed for chick SPACR. During retinal development, the mRNA and core protein expression levels, MY-174 antigenicity, and hyaluronan binding ability of SPACRCAN peaked around embryonic day 17 and then gradually decreased, whereas the corresponding expression levels of SPACR simply increased, but not its hyaluronan binding ability. The MY-174 reactivity of SPACRCAN in the adult retina was decreased compared with that in the newborn retina, whereas that of SPACR was increased. The decreased hyaluronan binding of SPACR was induced by an inhibitory effect of the excess of sialic acids in the adult stage. Thus, with similar core protein structures and specific sialylated glycoconjugates but distinct chondroitin sulfate chains, SPACRCAN and SPACR may have separate roles in the retina due to their differing expression profiles during development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

[A pilot study of bone marrow stromal cells intraocular transplantation in the S334 transgenic rats and Sprague-Dawley rats].

PURPOSE: To investigate the survival and differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) intraocular transplantation in newborn S334 retinal degeneration transgenic rats and (Sprague-Dawley)SD rats. METHODS: Human bone marrow stromal cells line was grown on the adhesive substrate in the condition media including a-Modified Eagle medium (a-MEM)/10% fetal bovine serum. The experiments were divided into four groups: Group 1: BMSC + (Retinoid Acid) RA transplanted in S334 transgenic rats (n = 5); Group 2: BMSC transplanted in S334 transgenic rats (n = 5); Group 3: BMSC + RA transplanted in SD rats (n = 5); Group 4: BMSC transplanted in SD rats (n = 5). 2 microl cell suspension (about 4 x 10(4) cells) was injected into the vitreous space in the transgenic rats and normal SD rats at Postnatal 1 (P1) respectively. The right eyes were treated eyes and the left eyes were used as control. At P14 and P23, the rats were killed and enucleated for histological assays using plastic section. RESULTS: In Group 1, the transplanted cells were well survived. They could continue to differentiate and participate in late-stage retinal development. The number of inner nuclear layer increased. Moreover, the host retina increased their thickness, but photoreceptor cells were not rescued from transplant. In Group 2, at P14, the BMSC continue to differentiate toward their linage cell fate and formed into hemorrhage island structures with few neurons if RA was not applied. Group 3, BMSC could survive, migrate. The number of inner nuclear layer increased also. In Group 4, it revealed that host retina structures were disorganized and transplant cells formed atypical proliferating mass. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot experiment indicated that bone marrow stromal cells could survival, differentiate and participate in the retinal development after transplanted into vitreous space in the new born transgenic rats and SD rats. Histological assays showed that transplanted cells integrated with inner nuclear layer of host retina. Thus, bone marrow stromal cells may be a useful vehicle for auto- transplantation for the therapy of variety of retinal degenerative disorders.

Animals↗