Transcriptome of Atoh7 retinal progenitor cells identifies new Atoh7-dependent regulatory genes for retinal ganglion cell formation.

ABSTRACT: The bHLH transcription factor ATOH7 (Math5) is essential for establishing retinal ganglion cell (RGC) fate. However, Atoh7-expressing retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) can give rise to all retinal cell types, suggesting that other factors are involved in specifying RGCs. The basis by which a subpopulation of Atoh7-expressing RPCs commits to an RGC fate remains uncertain but is of critical importance to retinal development since RGCs are the earliest cell type to differentiate. To better understand the regulatory mechanisms leading to cell-fate specification, a binary genetic system was generated to specifically label Atoh7-expressing cells with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-purified GFP(+) and GFP(-) cells were profiled by RNA-seq. Here, we ident

SUBMITTER: Gao Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4183711 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature