Open AccessEngineering a Blood‐Retinal Barrier With Human Embryonic Stem Cell‐Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Transcriptome and Functional Analysis
Author(s) -
Peng Shaomin,
Gan Geliang,
Qiu Caihong,
Zhong Mei,
An Hongyan,
Adelman Ron A.,
Rizzolo Lawrence J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
stem cells translational medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.781
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 2157-6580
pISSN - 2157-6564
DOI - 10.5966/sctm.2012-0134
Subject(s) - retinal pigment epithelium , tight junction , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , embryonic stem cell , retinal , barrier function , blood–retinal barrier , retina , stem cell , transcriptome , anatomy , gene , gene expression , genetics , biochemistry , neuroscience , endocrinology , diabetic retinopathy , diabetes mellitus
To develop a culture model for drug development and tissue‐engineering human retina, retinal pigment epithelia (RPE) were derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), and their barrier properties were compared with those of a well‐regarded model of RPE function, human fetal RPE isolated from 16‐week‐gestation fetuses (hfRPE). It was found that hESC‐derived RPE is highly differentiated but may be less mature than RPE isolated from 16‐week fetuses. The study also identified a panel of genes to monitor further maturation of RPE.