Isolation and characterisation of neural progenitor cells from the adult Chx10(orJ/orJ) central neural retina.
Retinal stem cells have been isolated from the ciliary epithelium (CE) of the mammalian retina. However, the central neural retina (CNR) lacks the capability to regenerate, a phenomenon retained by lower vertebrates. Mutations in the Chx10 homeobox gene cause reduced proliferation of retinal progenitor cells during development, leading to microphthalmia. Recently, we showed that in Chx10(orJ/orJ) mice, dividing cells persist in the adult CNR, suggesting the existence of a dormant progenitor population. Here, we show that these cells are proliferative and give rise to neurospheres in vitro, a characteristic of neural stem cells. However, these adult-derived CNR progenitors differ from those of the wildtype CE, leading to de-pigmented, larger and more numerous neurospheres expressing Müller glial cell markers. Our results suggest that lack of Chx10 leads to maintenance of a dormant neural progenitor population in the adult CNR. Furthermore, Chx10 is not required for in vitro proliferation of these progenitors.
Kokkinopoulos
I
I
Developmental Biology Unit, University College London Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
Pearson
R A
RA
Macneil
A
A
Dhomen
N S
NS
MacLaren
R E
RE
Ali
R R
RR
Sowden
J C
JC
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C088975:Vsx2 protein, mouse