Project description:ES/iPS-retinal sheet transplantation, which supplies photoreceptors as well as other retinal cells, has been shown able to restore visual function in mice with end-stage retinal degeneration. Here, we introduce a novel type of genetically engineered mouse ES/iPS-retinal sheet with reduced numbers of secondary retinal neurons but intact photoreceptor cell layer structure (Bhlhb4 knockout and Islet1 knockout). We show that this KO grafts can differentiate into retinal organoids with similar potency as wildtype retinal organoids. The data set contains data from 3 cell lines: wildtype (WT, specified as ‘NCT’), B4KO (Bhlhb4 knock-out), and Isl1KO(Islet-1 knockout) across 3 differential days (DDs, DD10, DD16, and DD23) along the early differentiation of retinal tissue.
Project description:Pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated into three-dimensional (3D) retinal organoids, with major cell types self-patterning into a polarized, laminated architecture. In static cultures, organoid development may be hindered by limitations in diffusion of oxygen and nutrients. Herein, we report a bioprocess using rotating-wall bioreactors (RWB) to culture retinal organoids derived from mouse pluripotent stem cells. Organoids in RWB demonstrate enhanced proliferation, with well-defined morphology and improved differentiation of neurons including ganglion cells and S-cone photoreceptors. Furthermore, RWB organoids at day (D)25 reveal similar maturation and transcriptome profile as those at D32 in static culture, closely recapitulating spatiotemporal development of postnatal day 6 mouse retina in vivo. Interestingly, however, retinal organoids do not differentiate further under any in vitro condition tested here, suggesting additional requirements for functional maturation. Our studies demonstrate that bioreactors can accelerate and improve organoid growth and differentiation for modeling retinal disease and evaluation of therapies.
Project description:Generation of three-dimensional (3D) organoids with optic cup like structures from pluripotent stem cells has created opportunities for investigating mammalian retinal development in vitro. However, retinal organoids in culture do not completely reflect the developmental state and in vivo architecture of the rod-dominant mouse retina. To assess rod photoreceptor differentiation in retinal organoids, we took advantage of Nrl-GFP mice that show rod-specific expression of GFP directed by the promoter of leucine zipper transcription factor NRL. Using embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (ESCs and iPSCs, respectively) derived from the Nrl-GFP mouse, we were successful in establishing long-term retinal organoid cultures (up to day 35) using modified culture conditions (called High Efficiency Hypoxia Induced Generation of Photoreceptors in Retinal Organoids, or HIPRO). We demonstrate efficient differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to retinal structures, with over 70% of embryoid bodies forming optic vesicles at Day (D)7, >50% producing optic cups by D10, and a majority of these surviving until at least D35. The HIPRO organoids include distinct inner retina neurons in somewhat stratified architecture and mature Müller glia spanning the entire retina. Almost 70% of the cells in retinal organoids are rod photoreceptors that exhibit elongated cilia. Transcriptome profiles of GFP+ rod photoreceptors, purified from organoids at Day 25-35, demonstrate a high correlation to gene profiles of purified rods from mouse retina at postnatal day (P) 2 to 6, indicating their early state of differentiation. Our 3D retinal organoids thus closely mimic in vivo retinogenesis and provide an efficient in vitro model to investigate photoreceptor development and modeling disease pathology.
Project description:Recent in vitro studies using RB1+/- fibroblasts and MSCs have shown molecular and functional disruptions without the need for biallelic loss of RB1. However, this was not reflected in the recent in vitro studies employing RB1+/- retinal organoids. To gain further insights into the molecular disruptions in the RB1+/- retinal organoids we performed a high throughput RNA-sequencing analysis.iPSCs were generated from RB1+/+ and RB1+/- Orbital adipose mesenchymal stem cells (OAMSCs) derived from retinoblastoma patients. RB1+/+ and RB1+/- iPSCs were subjected to step-wise retinal differentiation protocol and high throughput RNA-sequencing followed by differential gene expression analysis and Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed.The analysis revealed that even though there are no gross observable differences, subtle molecular changes in RB1+/- retinal organoids were observed. We report that there is mild shift from the regular metabolic process of glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation in the RB1+/- retinal organoids which could be setting a premise for tumorigenesis.
Project description:Drug toxicity screening on retina is essential for the development of safe therapies for a large number of diseases, whilst preserving visual acuity and function. To this end, retinal organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide a suitable screening platform due to their similarity to human retina and the ease of generation in large-scale formats, offering almost unlimited excess of tissue. Two hPSC cell lines were differrentiated to retinal organoids which comprised all key retinal cell types in multiple nuclear and synaptic layers, enabling the maintenance of retinal ganglion and bipolar cells and moreover allowed the development of subtypes as revealed by the single cell RNA-Seq analysis. Ketorolac, Digoxin, Thioridazine, Sildenafil, Ethanol and Methanol were used to screen drug effects on retinal organoids. Exposure of the hPSC-derived retinal organoids to Diogxin, Thioridazine and Sildenafil exposure resulted in photoreceptor cell death, while Digoxin and Thioridazine additionally affected all other cell types, including Müller glia cells. Ethanol and Methanol caused an upregulation in retinal ganglion cell related geneexpression. All drug treatments activated astrocytes, indicated by dendrites sprouting into neuroepithelium and upregulation of astrocyte related genes. The ability to resond to light was presereved in organoids although the number of active retinal ganglion cells decreased after drug expsoure. These data indicate comparable drug effects in organoids to those reported in in vitro models and/or in humans, thus providing first robust experimental evidence of their suitability for toxicological studies.
Project description:Compare single cell transcriptomes of control and USH1B patient iPSC-derived retinal organoids to elucidate disease mechanisms of Usher syndrome type IB (USH1B). USH1B patient fibroblasts were collected at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and reprogrammed to iPSCs. Control and patient iPSCs differentiated in vitro to generate retinal organoids and collected at 35wks. Sequencing was performed at GENEWIZ (Azenta life sciences) on a Illumina NovaSeq system. Data aligned to the human genome UCSC hg38 using cellranger package.
Project description:Müller glia play very important and diverse roles in retinal homeostasis and disease, bur very little is known of their development during human retinal embryogenesis. Since they share several markers with retinal progenitors, they are often considered as a different cell population. In this study we isolated CD29+/CD44+cells from retinal organoids formed by hEPSC cells in vitro, and examined their transcriptome profile at various stages of organoid development to identify their transcriptomic profile.
Project description:To study the development of human retina, we used single cell RNAseq at key fetal stages and followed the development of the major cell types, as well as populations of transitional cells. We also analyzed stem cell (hPSC)-derived retinal organoids; although organoids have a very similar cellular composition at equivalent ages to the fetal retina, there are some differences in gene expression of particular cell types. Moreover, the inner retinal lamination is disrupted in more advanced stages of organoids when compared with fetal retina. To determine whether the disorganization in the inner retina was due to the culture conditions, we analyzed retinal development in fetal retina maintained under similar conditions. These retinospheres develop for at least 6 months, displaying better inner retinal lamination than retinal organoids. Our scRNAseq comparisons between fetal retina, retinal organoids and retinospheres provide a new resource for developing better in vitro models for retinal disease.
Project description:Retinal organoids samples that derived from human embryonic stem cells were analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing. Two samples at different differentiation stages (day57 and day 171) were included in this study for cell type comparison.
Project description:To comprehensively capture changes in retinal transcriptome for the LCA7 organoids compared to control, we performed single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) using the 10X Genomics platform. Retinal organoids at D150 of differentiation were dissociated for scRNAseq analysis. scRNAseq data revealed significant dysregulation of specific photoreceptor genes between control and LCA7 organoids, as well as mutation-specific differences in various genes, including CRX, RCVRN, ARR3, and AIPL1.