Optic Vesicle Structures Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Facilitate a Customized Approach to Retinal Disease Treatment
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ABSTRACT: Microarray anlaysis was performed to investigate gene expression patterns of other transcription factors involved in early retinal and/or forebrain development using human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal and forebrain progenitor cells. After 20 days of differentiation, vesicular neurospheres selectively expressed multiple retinal transcription factor genes appropriate for the OV stage of retinogenesis, whereas nonvesicular neurospheres expressed transcription factors indicative of the embryonic forebrain. Many transcription factor genes associated with retinal development were present at higher levels in vesicular vs. nonvesicular neurospheres. Nonvesicular neurospheres, on the other hand, expressed higher levels of transcription factors implicated in early forebrain development. Taken together, results indicated that the vesicular and nonvesicular neurospheres harbored retinal progenitor cells and early forebrain populations, respectively. Compare the global gene expression of retinal progenitor cells and forebrain progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells
Project description:Microarray anlaysis was performed to investigate gene expression patterns of other transcription factors involved in early retinal and/or forebrain development using human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal and forebrain progenitor cells. After 20 days of differentiation, vesicular neurospheres selectively expressed multiple retinal transcription factor genes appropriate for the OV stage of retinogenesis, whereas nonvesicular neurospheres expressed transcription factors indicative of the embryonic forebrain. Many transcription factor genes associated with retinal development were present at higher levels in vesicular vs. nonvesicular neurospheres. Nonvesicular neurospheres, on the other hand, expressed higher levels of transcription factors implicated in early forebrain development. Taken together, results indicated that the vesicular and nonvesicular neurospheres harbored retinal progenitor cells and early forebrain populations, respectively.
Project description:The early retinal progenitor-expressed gene Sox11 regulates the timing of the differentiation of retinal cells. Sry-related HMG box (Sox) proteins play diverse and critical roles in a variety of morphogenetic processes during embryonic development. Sox11 and Sox4 are members of the SoxC subtype, and we found that Sox11 was strongly expressed in early retinal progenitor cells, and that when expression of Sox11 subsided around birth, Sox4 expression began. To analyze the role of Sox11 and Sox4 in retinal development, we perturbed their expression pattern by expressing them ectopically in retinal explant culture. Overexpression of Sox11 or Sox4 in retinal progenitors resulted in similar phenotypes, that is, increased cone cells and decreased Muller glia. Sox11-knockout retinas showed delayed onset and progress of differentiation of early-born retinal cells during the embryonic period. After birth, retinal differentiation took place relatively normally, probably because of the redundant activity of Sox4, which starts to differentiate around birth. Neither overexpression nor loss-of-function analysis gave any evidence that Sox11 and Sox4 directly regulate transcription of genes critical to early-born retinal cells. However, histone H3 acetylation status of the early neurogenic genes was lowered in knockout retinas, suggesting that Sox11 regulates the timing of differentiation in early-born retinas by creating an epigenetic state that helps to establish the competency to differentiate. We also found that the unique expression patterns of Sox11 and Sox4 may be achieved by the Notch signaling pathway and by epigenetic regulation. Taking our findings together, we propose that the precise regulation of Sox11 and Sox4 expression during retinogenesis by multiple mechanisms leads to the fine adjustment of retinal differentiation. To delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying the retinal action of Sox11, we performed microarray analysis of E18 retinas from wild-type and Sox11 knockout mice. Total RNA was obtained from each one retina of Sox11 knockout and wild-type littermate embryos at E18.
Project description:We used single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) on human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal organoid to deconstruct RPC developmental trajectory in the early retinogenesis, which revealed the fate branchpoint in RPC progression.
Project description:The early retinal progenitor-expressed gene Sox11 regulates the timing of the differentiation of retinal cells. Sry-related HMG box (Sox) proteins play diverse and critical roles in a variety of morphogenetic processes during embryonic development. Sox11 and Sox4 are members of the SoxC subtype, and we found that Sox11 was strongly expressed in early retinal progenitor cells, and that when expression of Sox11 subsided around birth, Sox4 expression began. To analyze the role of Sox11 and Sox4 in retinal development, we perturbed their expression pattern by expressing them ectopically in retinal explant culture. Overexpression of Sox11 or Sox4 in retinal progenitors resulted in similar phenotypes, that is, increased cone cells and decreased Muller glia. Sox11-knockout retinas showed delayed onset and progress of differentiation of early-born retinal cells during the embryonic period. After birth, retinal differentiation took place relatively normally, probably because of the redundant activity of Sox4, which starts to differentiate around birth. Neither overexpression nor loss-of-function analysis gave any evidence that Sox11 and Sox4 directly regulate transcription of genes critical to early-born retinal cells. However, histone H3 acetylation status of the early neurogenic genes was lowered in knockout retinas, suggesting that Sox11 regulates the timing of differentiation in early-born retinas by creating an epigenetic state that helps to establish the competency to differentiate. We also found that the unique expression patterns of Sox11 and Sox4 may be achieved by the Notch signaling pathway and by epigenetic regulation. Taking our findings together, we propose that the precise regulation of Sox11 and Sox4 expression during retinogenesis by multiple mechanisms leads to the fine adjustment of retinal differentiation.
Project description:Mettl3 was conditionally knocked out from retinal progenitor cells. Metll3 deficient retinas exhibited disrupted cell cycle during late retinogenesis and abnormality in retinal architecture and physiology.
Project description:Retinal organoids have become valuable 3D model for translational and developmental research. The knowledge of the limitations of the system ensures its sensible use. All retinal cell types originate from the differentiation of retinal progenitor cells. The properties of retinal progenitors in 3D culture systems are not well studied. In our project, we created a mouse stem cell line with a Rax-mCherry reporter construct that allows retinal progenitors' isolation, tracing, and in vitro imaging during retinogenesis. For proteomic analysis, we used mCherry-positive cells from dissociated embryoid bodies with formed eye field structures on the fourth day after stem cell aggregation. Information about protein content helped to characterize Rax-expressing cells at this stage and their suitability for further applications.
Project description:Whole genome profiling of histone methylation (H3K4me3, H3K27me3 and RNA Pol II) in Ciliary derived stem/progenitor cells and differentiated cells. In the present study we focus on the cellular differentiation that involves loss of pluripotency and gain of lineage and cell type-specific characteristics and we show developments from adult ciliary derived stem/progenitor cells to differentiated retinal neurons/glial cells of human cadaveric eyes in vitro. Ciliary pigment epithelial cells isolated from human cadaveric eye balls were cultured in the presence of mitogens like Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGF) to generate neurospheres (Stem/progenitor population). The generated neurospheres were plated on laminin and poly-D-lysine-coated cover slips in the presence of the Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Retinoic acid (RA) and 10% FBS for the differentiation (Retinal neuron/glial cells). Global Methylation patterns of histone H3K4me3, RNA Pol II and H3K27me3 were analysed in the present study. This work would provide an outline of epigenetic modifications in ciliary derived stem/progenitor cells and the progeny that underwent differentiation into retinal neurons/glial cells and present that specific histone methylations are involved in gene expression reprogramming during the process of differentiation.
Project description:To study the function of Mettl3 during retinal development, we used Six3-Cre and Mettl3floxed mice to conditionally knock out Mettl3 from retinal progenitor cells. The mutant mice show defects in late-stage retinogenesis and structural and physiological homeostasis of the retina.
Project description:Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived retinal organoids are three-dimensional cellular aggregates that differentiate and self-organize to closely mimic the spatial and temporal patterning of the developing human retina. Retinal organoid models serve as reliable tools for studying human retinogenesis, yet limitations in the efficiency and reproducibility of current retinal organoid differentiation protocols have limited the use of these models for more high throughput applications such as disease modelling and drug screening. To address these shortcomings, the current study aimed to standardize prior differentiation protocols to yield a highly reproducible and efficient method for generating retinal organoids. Results demonstrated that through regulation of organoid size and shape using quick reaggregation methods, retinal organoids were highly reproducible compared to more traditional methods. Additionally, the timed activation of BMP signaling within developing cells generated pure populations of retinal organoids at 100% efficiency from multiple widely used cell lines, with the default forebrain fate resulting from the inhibition of BMP signaling. Furthermore, given the ability to direct retinal or forebrain fates at complete purity, mRNA-seq analyses were then utilized to identify some of the earliest transcriptional changes that occur during the specification of these two lineages from a common progenitor. These improved methods also yielded retinal organoids with expedited differentiation timelines when compared to traditional methods. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrates the development of a novel, highly reproducible and minimally variable method for generating retinal organoids suitable for analyzing the earliest stages of human retinal/forebrain cell fate specification.