title: Derivation of traceable and transplantable photoreceptors from mouse embryonic stem cells.
abstract: Retinal degenerative diseases resulting in the loss of photoreceptors are one of the major causes of blindness. Photoreceptor replacement therapy is a promising treatment because the transplantation of retina-derived photoreceptors can be applied now to different murine retinopathies to restore visual function. To have an unlimited source of photoreceptors, we derived a transgenic embryonic stem cell (ESC) line in which the Crx-GFP transgene is expressed in photoreceptors and assessed the capacity of a 3D culture protocol to produce integration-competent photoreceptors. This culture system allows the production of a large number of photoreceptors recapitulating the in vivo development. After transplantation, integrated cells showed the typical morphology of mature rods bearing external segments and ribbon synapses. We conclude that a 3D protocol coupled with ESCs provides a safe and renewable source of photoreceptors displaying a development and transplantation competence comparable to photoreceptors from age-matched retinas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, FAA, Unit of Gene Therapy & Stem Cell Biology, Avenue de France 15, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Decembrini
authors.affiliation: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institut Suisse de Recherche Expérimentale sur le Cancer, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.affiliation: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institut Suisse de Recherche Expérimentale sur le Cancer, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Radtke
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, FAA, Eye Pathology Laboratory, Avenue de France 15, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moulin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, FAA, Unit of Gene Therapy & Stem Cell Biology, Avenue de France 15, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arsenijevic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C109288:cone rod homeobox protein