Induction of rod versus cone photoreceptor-specific progenitors from retinal precursor cells

Publication date: Available online 13 November 2018Source: Stem Cell ResearchAuthor(s): Saeed Khalili, Brian G. Ballios, Justin Belair-Hickey, Laura Donaldson, Jeff Liu, Brenda L.K. Coles, Kenneth N. Grisé, Tahani Baakdhah, Gary D. Bader, Valerie A. Wallace, Gilbert Bernier, Molly S. Shoichet, Derek van der KooyAbstractDuring development, multipotent progenitors undergo temporally-restricted differentiation into post-mitotic retinal cells; however, the mechanisms of progenitor division that occurs during retinogenesis remain controversial. Using clonal analyses (lineage tracing and single cell cultures), we identify rod versus cone lineage-specific progenitors derived from both adult retinal stem cells and embryonic neural retinal precursors. Taurine and retinoic acid are shown to act in an instructive and lineage-restricted manner early in the progenitor lineage hierarchy to produce rod-restricted progenitors from stem cell progeny. We also identify an instructive, but lineage-independent, mechanism for the specification of cone-restricted progenitors through the suppression of multiple differentiation signaling pathways. These data indicate that exogenous signals play critical roles in directing lineage decisions and resulting in fate-restricted rod or cone photoreceptor progenitors in culture. Additional factors may be involved in governing photoreceptor fates in vivo.
Source: Stem Cell Research - Category: Stem Cells Source Type: research