Synaptic repair and vision restoration in advanced degenerating eyes by transplantation of retinal progenitor cells.

ABSTRACT: Stem cell transplantation shows enormous potential for treatment of incurable retinal degeneration (RD). To determine if and how grafts connect with the neural circuits of the advanced degenerative retina (ADR) and improve vision, we perform calcium imaging of GCaMP5-positive grafts in retinal slices. The organoid-derived C-Kit⁺/SSEA1^- (C-Kit⁺) retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) become synaptically organized and build spontaneously active synaptic networks in three major layers of ADR. Light stimulation of the host photoreceptors elicits distinct neuronal responses throughout the graft RPCs. The graft RPCs and their differentiated offspring cells in inner nuclear layer synchronize their activities with the host cells and exhibit presynaptic calcium flux patter

SUBMITTER: He XY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8282465 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature