title: In vitro phenotypic modification of pigmented epithelium cells from human eye at early stages of development.
abstract: Multipotent characteristics of human fetal (9-11.5 weeks) pigmented epithelial retinal cells and capacity to transdifferentiation in neuronal direction were studied in vitro under different culturing conditions. The cultures were analyzed using a wide spectrum of antibodies. It was found that pigmented epithelium of human eye is a heterogeneous cell population with three subtypes differing by adhesion characteristics, migration, transdifferentiation potential, and reaction to microenvironmental factors. Subtype 1 cells steadily retain their epithelial characteristics, subtype 2 cells change their morphotype and produce neuroblast and photoreceptor cell proteins, and subtype 3 cells form free floating spheres and are capable to multipotent differentiation.
authors.affiliation: N. K. Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Milyushina
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Poltavtseva
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Marei
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Podgornyi
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Sukhikh
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aleksandrova
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010641:Phenotype; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology*