An analysis of adult retinal stem cell plasticity following transplantation in vivo.

摘要

Recent studies have suggested that tissue specific adult stem cells can generate cells comprising other tissues of the body. Transgenic YFP expressing retinal precursor cells were transplanted onto the RMS of wild type adult mice and the survival, proliferation, differentiation and migratory properties of transplanted cells were examined over time. We have found that transplanted retinal cells survive, proliferate and migrate along the RMS to the OB indicating that they are competent to respond to migratory signals in the forebrain microenvironment. A change in the frequency of immunomarker expression indicates a degree of plasticity in retinal precursors previously unidentified. Interestingly, Cell cultures of the germinal zone, RMS and OB following transplantation reveals the selective survival of progenitor cells in vivo introducing a novel and previously unaddressed concept of progenitor cell plasticity over stem cell plasticity.