title: Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell in the microenviroment of retinitis pigmentosa.
abstract: CORRESPONDENCE TO: Fang-Tian Dong. Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China. d_fangtian@sina.com
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To access the differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) in the microenvironment of retinal degeneration induced by the administration of sodium iodate.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-vitro cultured Lewis rat MSC were injected into the sub-retinal space of NaIO(3) induced retinal degeneration rat eyes (30g/L NaIO(3) 100mg/kg). To observe the trace and differentiation of MSC by immuno-fluorescent method successively in 5 weeks after the surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the transplanted cells stay in retinal pigment epithelium layer and cones & rods layer. From the 2(nd) week after transplantation, the engrafted MSC express PCK and rhodopsin under fluorescent microscope.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSC can survive mainly in the outer layer of retina in the microenvironment of retinal degeneration and differentiate forward the RPE cell and photoreceptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Fang-Tian
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Wei-Hong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gao