title: Isolation of progenitor cells from GFP-transgenic pigs and transplantation to the retina of allorecipients.
abstract: Work in rodents has demonstrated that progenitor transplantation can achieve limited photoreceptor replacement in the mammalian retina; however, replication of these findings on a clinically relevant scale requires a large animal model. To evaluate the ability of porcine retinal progenitor cells to survival as allografts and integrate into the host retinal architecture, we isolated donor cells from fetal green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic pigs. Cultures were propagated from the brain, retina, and corneo-scleral limbus. GFP expression rapidly increased with time in culture, although lower in conjunction with photoreceptor markers and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), thus suggesting downregulation of GFP during differentiation. Following transplantation, GFP expression allowed histological visualization of integrated cells and extension of fine processes to adjacent plexiform layers. GFP expression in subretinal grafts was high in cells expressing vimentin and lower in cells expressing photoreceptor markers, again consistent with possible downregulation during differentiation. Cells survived transplantation to the injured retina of allorecipients at all time points examined (up to 10 weeks) in the absence of exogenous immune suppression without indications of rejection. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of allogeneic progenitor transplantation in a large mammal and the utility of the pig in ocular regeneration studies.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California 92868-4380, USA. hklassen@uci.edu
authors: Henry
authors: H
authors: Klassen
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Warfvinge
authors: Philip H
authors: PH
authors: Schwartz
authors: Jens Folke
authors: JF
authors: Kiilgaard
authors: Neda
authors: N
authors: Shamie
authors: Caihui
authors: C
authors: Jiang
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Samuel
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Scherfig
authors: Randall S
authors: RS
authors: Prather
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Young
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins