Conditioned medium-mediated photoreceptor differentiation in retina from embryonic rd chickens.
Retina cells from 8-day rd (retinal degenerate) chicken embryos were cultured in media supplemented with optic lobe conditioned medium (OLCM). The morphogenesis of rd photoreceptors is being described. Several differentiating photoreceptors depicted a membranous sac protruding from the apical end of the cell as revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Such structures were found mostly in 8-day-old cultures supplemented with OLCM and were absent in controls. They resembled rudimentary outer segments emanating from a cilium at the apical inner segments. TEM showed a few stacks of free floating disks within the membranous structure which was suggestive of a rudimentary outer segment development. The possible neurotrophic effect of OLCM on rd retina photoreceptor differentiation is being suggested.
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003470:Culture Media; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D003470:Culture Media