Name: cryopreservation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells at the optimal stage
Uploaded: 2023-11-03T13:20:00.000+00:00
Duration: 7 min 3 s
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Cryopreservation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells at the Optimal Stage at JoVE.com

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81970816) to Mei Jiang; the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82201223) to Xinyue Zhu; and the Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (2014090067000) to Haiyun Liu.

1. Cell dissociation
<ol>
	<li>Maintain RPE cells as previously described17,22. 
	NOTE: All cells are grown at 37 &#176;C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere throughout the duration of the protocols.</li>
	<li>Prepare the required amount of PBS and culture medium in a 37 &#176; C water bath and place the cell dissociation reagent at room temperature.</li>
	<li>Discard the culture solution and wash the plates twice with 1 mL of preheated PBS per well.</li>
	<li>Add 1 mL of the cell dissociation reagent to the 6-well plates and digest the cells at 37 &#176;C for 15 min. After incubation, observe the cells that shrink and shine at the edges under a microscope to confirm the termination of digestion. 
	NOTE: Trypsin-based dissociation is not recommended as it gives low cell viability.</li>
	<li>Pipette up and down gently 10x with a 1 mL pipette to dissociate the cells, and dilute the cell suspension with preheated culture medium (without Y-27632) at a ratio of 1:10. Then, centrifuge the cells at room temperature for 3 min at 250 &#215; g.</li>
	<li>Quickly pour out the supernatant after centrifugation, gently resuspend the cell pellet in 2 mL of the culture medium, and resuspend the cells 10-15x with a pipette.</li>
	<li>Filter the cell suspension with a 40 &#181;m cell strainer to obtain a single-cell suspension and calculate the number of cells. 
	&#8203;NOTE: A single-cell suspension is essential for accurate cell counting and uniform cell seeding density after thawing.</li>
</ol>
2. Determination of the optimal cell stage for cryopreservation
NOTE: Because the cell state varies between differentiation methods and cell lines, the exponential phase of RPE cells cultured at different laboratories should be determined before freezing.
<ol>
	<li>Thaw one vial of basement membrane matrix solution on ice at 4 &#176;C overnight. Dilute the matrix into 12 mL of cold DMEM/F-12 and mix well. Add one coverslip per well, and coat each well of a 24-well plate with 0.25 mL of the diluted solution. Incubate the plate&#160;for 1 h at room temperature or overnight at 4 &#176;C before use and aspirate the coating solution just before plating the cells. 
	NOTE: Instructions for aliquot volume are lot-specific based on the protein concentration and are found in the product specification sheet.</li>
	<li>Seed the RPE single cells from step 1.7 on the basement membrane matrix-coated coverslips at a density of 105/cm2 in 1 mL of culture medium. Refresh the culture medium every 2-3 days.</li>
	<li>At indicated time points (1, 3, 5, 7, and 11 days after passage), incubate RPE cells with 10 &#956;M EdU in the medium for 24 h. Fix, permeabilize, and stain the cells with the reaction cocktail as described in the manual to detect incorporated EdU.</li>
	<li>Capture images from five random fields under a fluorescence microscope and calculate the percentage of EdU-positive cells. Plot the corresponding EdU-positive proportion-time curves to generate a growth curve. Then, determine the freezing window or the exponential phase for each cell line according to the growth curve. 
	&#8203;NOTE: Reestablished hexagonal cell morphology indicates that cells exit the exponential phase.</li>
</ol>
3. Cryopreservation
<ol>
	<li>Following steps 1.1 to 1.7, except that the digestion time decreases to 5 min, centrifuge the cell suspension at room temperature for 3 min at 250 &#215; g.</li>
	<li>Discard the supernatant by quickly pouring after centrifugation and gently resuspend the cell pellet in the cryopreservation medium to a density of 2 &#215; 106 cells/mL and transfer 1 mL of the cell suspension to 1.2 mL cryogenic vials.</li>
	<li>Immediately place the cryogenic vials in a freezing container, freeze at &#8722;80 &#176;C overnight to achieve a cooling rate of &#8722;1 &#176;C/min, and then transfer the vials to liquid nitrogen for long-term storage.</li>
</ol>
4. Thawing
<ol>
	<li>Warm the culture medium in a 37 &#176;C water bath and prefill 10 mL of prewarmed culture medium into a 15 mL tube.</li>
	<li>Rapidly thaw the cryogenic vials directly taken from the liquid nitrogen storage using an automated thawing system.</li>
	<li>Drip 0.5-1 mL of preheated culture medium into the cryogenic vial to ensure that the frozen cells gradually adapt to the new environment. Then, transfer 1.5-2 mL of the cell suspension to 10 mL of the culture medium in a 15 mL tube and centrifuge the cells at 250 &#215; g for 3 min at room temperature.</li>
	<li>Discard the supernatant by quickly pouring after centrifugation, resuspend the pellet in 2 mL of preheated culture medium, and count the number of cells using a hemocytometer to determine recovery and survival rates using standard trypan blue exclusion (0.4% trypan blue stain).</li>
	<li>Culture the cells on basement membrane matrix-coated surfaces at a density of 105 viable cells/cm2 in a culture medium supplemented with Y-27632 (final concentration: 10 &#181;M). Remove Y-27632 after 24 h.</li>
	<li>To determine the attachment rate, dissociate the cells again and count the number of cells 24 h after thawing.</li>
</ol>
5. Validation of the optimal freezing phase
<ol>
	<li>To validate the optimal freezing phase determined in step 2.4, thaw RPE cells frozen at different time points and culture for 28 days. Harvest the cells for qPCR and immunostaining analysis to evaluate the expression of RPE markers as previously described17.</li>
</ol>

Advancing Cryostorage of Human Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

<ol>
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M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+retinal+pigment+epithelium:+Development,+injury+responses,+and+regenerative+potential+in+mammalian+and+non-mammalian+systems.">The retinal pigment epithelium: Development, injury responses, and regenerative potential in mammalian and non-mammalian systems.</a> Progress in Retinal and Eye Research. 85, 100969 (2021).</li><li>Rizzolo, L. J., Nasonkin, I. O., Adelman, R. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Retinal+cell+transplantation,+biomaterials,+and+in+vitro+models+for+developing+next-generation+therapies+of+age-related+macular+degeneration.">Retinal cell transplantation, biomaterials, and in vitro models for developing next-generation therapies of age-related macular degeneration.</a> Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 11 (3), 269-281 (2022).</li><li>Bertolotti, E., Neri, A., Camparini, M., Macaluso, C., Marigo, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stem+cells+as+source+for+retinal+pigment+epithelium+transplantation.">Stem cells as source for retinal pigment epithelium transplantation.</a> Progress in Retinal and Eye Research. 42, 130-144 (2014).</li><li>Da Cruz, ., L, , et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phase+1+clinical+study+of+an+embryonic+stem+cell-derived+retinal+pigment+epithelium+patch+in+age-related+macular+degeneration.">Phase 1 clinical study of an embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium patch in age-related macular degeneration.</a> Nature Biotechnology. 36 (4), 328-337 (2018).</li><li>Mehat, M. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Transplantation+of+human+embryonic+stem+cell-derived+retinal+pigment+epithelial+cells+in+macular+degeneration.">Transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells in macular degeneration.</a> Ophthalmology. 125 (11), 1765-1775 (2018).</li><li>Buchholz, D. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rapid+and+efficient+directed+differentiation+of+human+pluripotent+stem+cells+into+retinal+pigmented+epithelium.">Rapid and efficient directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into retinal pigmented epithelium.</a> Stem Cells Translational Medicine. 2 (5), 384-393 (2013).</li><li>Li, Q. -. Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+assessment+of+cryopreserved+clinical+grade+hESC-RPE+cells+as+a+qualified+cell+source+for+stem+cell+therapy+of+retinal+degenerative+diseases.">Functional assessment of cryopreserved clinical grade hESC-RPE cells as a qualified cell source for stem cell therapy of retinal degenerative diseases.</a> Experimental Eye Research. 202, 108305 (2021).</li><li>Francois, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cryopreserved+mesenchymal+stromal+cells+display+impaired+immunosuppressive+properties+as+a+result+of+heat-shock+response+and+impaired+interferon-gamma+licensing.">Cryopreserved mesenchymal stromal cells display impaired immunosuppressive properties as a result of heat-shock response and impaired interferon-gamma licensing.</a> Cytotherapy. 14 (2), 147-152 (2012).</li><li>Moll, G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Do+cryopreserved+mesenchymal+stromal+cells+display+impaired+immunomodulatory+and+therapeutic+properties.">Do cryopreserved mesenchymal stromal cells display impaired immunomodulatory and therapeutic properties.</a> Stem Cells. 32 (9), 2430-2442 (2014).</li><li>Ekpo, M. 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L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Protective+effects+of+osmolytes+in+cryopreserving+adherent+neuroblastoma+(Neuro-2a)+cells.">Protective effects of osmolytes in cryopreserving adherent neuroblastoma (Neuro-2a) cells.</a> Cryobiology. 71 (3), 472-480 (2015).</li><li>Okumura, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Feasibility+of+a+cryopreservation+of+cultured+human+corneal+endothelial+cells.">Feasibility of a cryopreservation of cultured human corneal endothelial cells.</a> PLoS One. 14 (6), e0218431 (2019).</li><li>Pennington, B. 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The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

In the present study, a successful freeze-thaw protocol for hESC-derived RPE cells for research and clinical needs is described. Unlike the immortalized RPE cell line, ARPE-19, RPE cells with proper characteristic epithelial phenotype and function, like stem cell derived-RPE cells, are more sensitive to cryopreservation. Less than 32% of the cells remained at 24 h post thaw if not properly preserved17. Cryopreservation timing is a critical parameter. An established view for immortalized cell cryop...

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a pigmented monolayer of cells required for maintaining the proper function of the retina1. RPE dysfunction and death are closely associated with many retinal degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and Stargardt disease2,3. RPE replacement therapy is one of the most promising treatment regimens for these diseases4,5,6,7. A stable supply of donor RPE cells is vital for cell therapy. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived RPE cells are an ideal cell source for cell therapy because they mimic the function of primary RPE cells and can produce a theoretically unlimited supply8. However, the differentiation process is laborious and the shelf-life of the obtained RPE cells is relatively short because of subsequent epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Therefore, the cryopreservation of hESC-derived RPE cells is an indispensable step required for long-term storage and on-demand distribution9.
Cryopreservation-induced cellular damage can inadvertently compromise therapeutic efficacy10,11. Therefore, recent studies on cryopreservation have proposed that optimal cryogenic storage conditions should be determined when designing cell therapies12. Successful cryopreservation guarantees efficient cell recovery, high viability, and cell function restoration after the freeze-thaw cycle. However, previous studies on the cryopreservation of the adherent monolayers of mammalian cells have reported highly variable (35%-95%) survival rates after thawing13,14,15. Many factors considerably affect the outcomes of cryopreservation, particularly during the freezing stage16,17. Recent research showed that RPE cells frozen at different time points exhibited varied recovery after thawing17. To the best of our knowledge, studies on the determination of the optimal freezing time window for stem cell-derived RPE cells are lacking. In different studies, the cells were frozen at various stages: some cells were frozen shortly after passaging or before confluency or pigmentation8,15,18, whereas others were frozen at other time points9,19,20,21. Furthermore, there is no clear evidence of whether the phase or stage of RPE cells used for cryopreservation affects RPE function after thawing. In our previous study, we demonstrated for the first time that the exponential phase of cell growth (P2D5) is the best stage for the cryopreservation of hESC-derived RPE cells in terms of cell viability and the recovery of cellular properties and functions17.
The method established here aims to cryopreserve hESC-derived RPE at an optimal stage to achieve the best preservation in terms of cell viability and function after thawing. Using the 5-ethynyl-2&#39;-deoxyuridine (EdU) labeling assay to detect the exponential phase of DNA synthesis before cryopreservation, thawed RPE cells exhibited &#62;80% viability and attachment rate, RPE-specific gene expression, polarized cell morphology, pigment epithelium-derived factor secretion, appropriate transepithelial resistance, and phagocytic ability8,17,22. Although this protocol focuses&#160;on hESC-derived RPE cells and not all therapeutic cells are equally cryopreserved, the strategy of freezing in the exponential phase may be applied to many other therapeutic cells.

<table><tbody><tr><td>40 &amp;mu;m Cell strainer</td><td>Corning</td><td>431750</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Click-iT EdU Cell Proliferation Kit for Imaging, Alexa Fluor 488 Dye</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>C10337</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cryo freezing container</td><td>Nalgene</td><td>5100-0001</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>CryoStor CS10</td><td>Biolife Solutions</td><td>07930</td><td>cryopreservation medium #1</td></tr><tr><td>DPBS, no calcium, no magnesium</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>14190144</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Genxin</td><td>Selcell</td><td>YB050050</td><td>cryopreservation medium #2</td></tr><tr><td>Human embryonic stem cells</td><td>provided by Wicell, USA</td><td>H9 cell line</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Matrigel, hESC-Qualified Matrix</td><td>Corning</td><td>354277</td><td>basement membrane matrix</td></tr><tr><td>ThawSTAR CFT2 Automated Cell Thawing System</td><td>BioLife Solutions</td><td>AST-601</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypan Blue solution 0.4%</td><td>Sigma</td><td>T8154</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TryPLE Select</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td>12563029</td><td>cell dissociation reagent</td></tr><tr><td>XVIVO-10 medium</td><td>Lonza</td><td>BEBP04-743Q</td><td>RPE culture medium</td></tr><tr><td>Y-27632</td><td>Selleck</td><td>S1049</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

cryopreservation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells at the optimal stage

Retinal pigment epithelial&#160;(RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are superior cell sources for cell replacement therapy in individuals with retinal degenerative diseases; however, studies on the stable and secure banking of these therapeutic cells are scarce. Highly variable cell viability and functional recovery of&#160;RPE cells after cryopreservation are the most commonly encountered issues. In the present protocol, we aimed to achieve the best cell recovery rate after thawing by selecting the optimal cell phase for freezing based on the original experimental conditions. Cells were frozen in the exponential phase determined by using the 5-ethynyl-2&#8242;-deoxyuridine labeling assay, which improved cell viability and recovery rate after thawing. Stable and functional cells were obtained shortly after thawing, independent of a long differentiation process. The methods described here allow the simple, efficient, and inexpensive preservation and thawing of hESC-derived RPE cells. Although this protocol focuses on RPE cells, this freezing strategy may be applied to many other types of differentiated cells.

Here, hESC-derived RPE cells at P1D35 were passaged and seeded at a density of 105/cm2. Within a week of seeding, the characteristic hexagonal morphology and pigmentation were lost during the lag phase (approximately 2 days). RPE cells gradually readopted the hexagonal morphology in the exponential phase (approximately 5 days, Figure 1A) and entered the deceleration phase (approximately 6 days) with a more polygonal morphology. If cell culturing was continued for anothe...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Cryopreservation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells at the Optimal Stage at JoVE.com

Author Spotlight: Development of an Efficient and Feasible Method of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Freezing

This study provides a detailed protocol for the efficient cryopreservation of human stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Cryopreservation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells at the Optimal Stage

Retinal pigment epithelial&#160;(RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are superior cell sources for cell replacement therapy in ...

cryopreservation-human-embryonic-stem-cell-derived-retinal-pigment

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

607 Views.  Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Ons lab heeft tot doel het moleculaire mechanisme van netvliesaandoeningen beter te begrijpen, met een focus op onvervulde medische behoeften van patiënten. We streven ernaar om voor hen effectieve behandelingen te ontwikkelen, zoals therapieën op basis van stamcellen. Cryopreservatie van van stamcellen afgeleide RPE-cellen is een belangrijke stap voor RPE-vervangingstherapie.Momenteel worden de cellen in verschillende stadia ingevroren, wat resulteert in zeer variabele overlevingspe...

Video: Auteur in de schijnwerpers: ontwikkeling van een efficiënte en haalbare methode voor het bevriezen van retinale pigmentepitheelcellen

Efficient Derivation of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells from Stem Cells

No cure has been discovered for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 55. AMD is complex multifactorial disease with an unknown etiology, although it is largely thought to occur due to death or dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a monolayer of cells that underlies the retina and provides critical support for photoreceptors. RPE cell replacement strategies may hold great promise for providing therapeutic relief for a large subset of AMD patients, and RPE cells that strongly resemble primary human cells (hRPE) have been generated in multiple independent labs, including our own. In addition, the uses for iPS-RPE are not limited to cell-based therapies, but also have been used to model RPE diseases. These types of studies may not only elucidate the molecular bases of the diseases, but also serve as invaluable tools for developing and testing novel drugs. We present here an optimized protocol for directed differentiation of RPE from stem cells. Adding nicotinamide and either Activin A or IDE-1, a small molecule that mimics its effects, at specific time points, greatly enhances the yield of RPE cells. Using this technique we can derive large numbers of low passage RPE in as early as three months.

Stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells may be used for multiple applications including cell-based therapies for retinal degeneration, disease modeling, and drug studies. Here we present a simple protocol for reproducibly deriving RPE from stem cells.

No cure has been discovered for age-related macular degeneration  (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 55. AMD is complex ...

Developmental Biology

Rapid, Directed Differentiation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Human Embryonic or Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

We describe a robust method to direct the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). The purpose of providing a detailed and thorough protocol is to clearly demonstrate each step and to make this readily available to researchers in the field. This protocol results in a homogenous layer of RPE with minimal or no manual dissection needed. The method presented here has been shown to be effective for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and human embryonic stem cells. Additionally, we describe methods for cryopreservation of intermediate cell banks that allow long-term storage. RPE generated using this protocol might be useful for iPSC disease-in-a-dish modeling or clinical application.

This protocol describes how to produce retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) from pluripotent stem cells. The method uses a combination of growth factors and small molecules to direct the differentiation of stem cells into immature RPE in fourteen days and mature, functional RPE after three months.

We describe a robust method to direct the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). The purpose of providing ...

Defined Xeno-free and Feeder-free Culture Conditions for the Generation of Human iPSC-derived Retinal Cell Models

The production of specialized cells from pluripotent stem cells provides a powerful tool to develop new approaches for regenerative medicine. The use of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is particularly attractive for neurodegenerative disease studies, including retinal dystrophies, where iPSC-derived retinal cell models mark a major step forward to understand and fight blindness. In this paper, we describe a simple and scalable protocol to generate, mature, and cryopreserve retinal organoids. Based on medium changing, the main advantage of this method is to avoid multiple and time-consuming steps commonly required in a guided differentiation of iPSCs. Mimicking the early phases of retinal development by successive changes of defined media on adherent human iPSC cultures, this protocol allows the simultaneous generation of self-forming neuroretinal structures and retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells in a reproducible and efficient manner in 4 weeks. These structures containing retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) can be easily isolated for further maturation in a floating culture condition enabling the differentiation of RPCs into the seven retinal cell types present in the adult human retina. Additionally, we describe quick methods for the cryopreservation of retinal organoids and RPE cells for long-term storage. Combined together, the methods described here will be useful to produce and bank human iPSC-derived retinal cells or tissues for both basic and clinical research.

The production of specialized retinal cells from pluripotent stem cells is a turning point in the development of stem cell-based therapy for retinal diseases. The present paper describes a simple method for an efficient generation of retinal organoids and retinal pigmented epithelium for basic, translational, and clinical research.

The production of specialized cells from pluripotent stem cells provides a powerful tool to develop new approaches for regenerative medicine. The use of ...

Engineering Transplantation-suitable Retinal Pigment Epithelium Tissue Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Several pathological conditions of the eye affect the functionality and/or the survival of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). These include some forms of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Cell therapy is one of the most promising therapeutic strategies proposed to cure these diseases, with already encouraging preliminary results in humans. However, the method of preparation of the graft has a significant impact on its functional outcomes in vivo. Indeed, RPE cells grafted as a cell suspension are less functional than the same cells transplanted as a retinal tissue. Herein, we describe a simple and reproducible method to engineer RPE tissue and its preparation for an in vivo implantation. RPE cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells are seeded on a biological support, the human amniotic membrane (hAM). Compared to artificial scaffolds, this support has the advantage of having a basement membrane that is close to the Bruch&#39;s membrane where endogenous RPE cells are attached. However, its manipulation is not easy, and we developed several strategies for its proper culturing and preparation for grafting in vivo.

We describe a method to engineer a retinal tissue composed of retinal pigment epithelial cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells cultured on top of human amniotic membranes and its preparation for grafting in animal models.

Several pathological conditions of the eye affect the functionality and/or the survival of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). These include some forms ...

Performing Subretinal Injections in Rodents to Deliver Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells in Suspension

The conversion of light into electrical impulses occurs in the outer retina and is accomplished largely by rod and cone photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. RPE provide critical support for photoreceptors and death or dysfunction of RPE cells is characteristic of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of permanent vision loss in people age 55 and older. While no cure for AMD has been identified, implantation of healthy RPE in diseased eyes may prove to be an effective treatment, and large numbers of RPE cells can be readily generated from pluripotent stem cells. Several interesting questions regarding the safety and efficacy of RPE cell delivery can still be examined in animal models, and well-accepted protocols used to inject RPE have been developed. The technique described here has been used by multiple groups in various studies and involves first creating a hole in the eye with a sharp needle. Then a syringe with a blunt needle loaded with cells is inserted through the hole and passed through the vitreous until it gently touches the RPE. Using this injection method, which is relatively simple and requires minimal equipment, we achieve consistent and efficient integration of stem cell-derived RPE cells in between the host RPE that prevents significant amount of photoreceptor degeneration in animal models. While not part of the actual protocol, we also describe how to determine the extent of the trauma induced by the injection, and how to verify that the cells were injected into the subretinal space using in vivo imaging modalities. Finally, the use of this protocol is not limited to RPE cells; it may be used to inject any compound or cell into the subretinal space.

Here we present a community accepted protocol in multimedia format for subretinally injecting a bolus of RPE cells in rats and mice. This approach can be used for determining rescue potentials, safety profiles, and survival capacities of grafted RPE cells upon implantation in animal models of retinal degeneration.

The conversion of light into electrical impulses occurs in the outer retina and is accomplished largely by rod and cone photoreceptors and retinal pigment ...

Development of a Refined Protocol for Trans-scleral Subretinal Transplantation of Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells into Rat Eyes

Degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are the leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. AMD is characterized by the degeneration of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which are a monolayer of cells functionally supporting and anatomically wrapping around the neural retina. Current pharmacological treatments for the non-neovascular AMD (dry AMD) only slow down the disease progression but cannot restore vision, necessitating studies aimed at identifying novel therapeutic strategies. Replacing the degenerative RPE cells with healthy cells holds promise to treat dry AMD in the future. Extensive preclinical studies of stem cell replacement therapies for AMD involve the transplantation of stem cell-derived RPE cells into the subretinal space of animal models, in which the subretinal injection technique is applied. The approach most frequently used in these preclinical animal studies is through the trans-scleral route, which is made difficult by the lack of direct visualization of the needle end and can often result in retinal damage. An alternative approach through the vitreous allows for direct observation of the needle end position, but it carries a high risk of surgical traumas as more eye tissues are disturbed. We have developed a less risky and reproducible modified trans-scleral injection method that uses defined needle angles and depths to successfully and consistently deliver RPE cells into the rat subretinal space and avoid excessive retinal damage. Cells delivered in this manner have been previously demonstrated to be efficacious in the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat for at least 2 months. This technique can be used not only for cell transplantation but also for delivery of small molecules or gene therapies.

Subretinal injection has been widely applied in preclinical studies of stem cell replacement therapy for age-related macular degeneration. In this visualized article, we describe a less risky, reproducible and precisely modified subretinal injection technique via the trans-scleral approach to deliver cells into rat eyes.

Degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are the leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. AMD is ...

Neuroscience

Subretinal Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Tissue in a Feline Large Animal Model

Retinal degenerative (RD) conditions associated with photoreceptor loss such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) cause progressive and debilitating vision loss. There is an unmet need for therapies that can restore vision once photoreceptors have been lost. Transplantation of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived retinal tissue (organoids) into the subretinal space of an eye with advanced RD brings retinal tissue sheets with thousands of healthy mutation-free photoreceptors and has a potential to treat most/all blinding diseases associated with photoreceptor degeneration with one approved protocol. Transplantation of fetal retinal tissue into the subretinal space of animal models and people with advanced RD has been developed successfully but cannot be used as a routine therapy due to ethical concerns and limited tissue supply. Large eye inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) animal models are valuable for developing vision restoration therapies utilizing advanced surgical approaches to transplant retinal cells/tissue into the subretinal space. The similarities in globe size, and photoreceptor distribution (e.g., presence of macula-like region area centralis) and availability of IRD models closely recapitulating human IRD would facilitate rapid translation of a promising therapy to the clinic. Presented here is a surgical technique of transplanting hPSC-derived retinal tissue into the subretinal space of a large animal model allowing assessment of this promising approach in animal models.

Presented here is a surgical technique for transplanting human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived retinal tissue into the subretinal space of a large animal model.

Retinal degenerative (RD) conditions associated with photoreceptor loss such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and ...

Characterization and Morphological Dynamics of Cultured Primary Murine RPE

A Simplified Method for Isolation and Culture of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Adult Mice

Retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) are critical for the proper function of the retina. RPE dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of important retinal diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and diabetic retinopathy. We present a streamlined approach for the isolation of RPE from murine adult eyes. In contrast to previously reported methods, this approach enables the isolation and culture of highly pure RPE from adult mice. This simple and fast method does not require extensive technical skill and is achievable with basic scientific tools and reagents. Primary RPE are isolated from C57BL/6 background mice aged 3- to 14-weeks by enucleation of the eye followed by the removal of the anterior segment. Enzymatic trypsinization and centrifugation are used to dissociate and isolate the RPE from the eyecup. In conclusion, this approach offers a quick and effective protocol for the utilization of RPE in the study of retinal function and disease.

Author Spotlight: Efficient Isolation of Primary Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Adult Mice for Retinopathy Research

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) acts as a crucial barrier between the choroid and retina, promoting the health and function of retinal cell types, such as photoreceptors. Herein, we describe a simple and effective protocol for isolating and culturing adult murine RPE.

Retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) are critical for the proper function of the retina. RPE dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of important ...

Subretinal Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived-retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells into a Large-eyed Model of Geographic Atrophy

Geographic atrophy (GA), the late stage of dry age-related macular degeneration is characterized by loss of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer, which leads to subsequent degeneration of vital retinal structures (e.g., photoreceptors) causing severe vision impairment. Similarly, RPE-loss and decrease in visual acuity is seen in long-term follow up of patients with advanced wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) receiving intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. Therefore, on the one hand, it is fundamental to efficiently derive RPE cells from an unlimited source that could serve as replacement therapy. On the other hand, it is important to assess the behavior and integration of the derived cells in a model of the disease entailing surgical and imaging methods as close as possible to those applied in humans. Here, we provide a detailed protocol based on our previous publications that describes the generation of a preclinical model of GA using the albino rabbit eye, for evaluation of the human embryonic stem cell derived retinal pigment epithelial cells (hESC-RPE) in a clinically relevant setting. Differentiated hESC-RPE are transplanted into naive eyes or eyes with NaIO3-induced GA-like retinal degeneration using a 25 G transvitreal pars plana technique. Evaluation of degenerated and transplanted areas is performed by multimodal high-resolution non-invasive real-time imaging.

Retinal pigment epithelial cells could serve as a cell-replacement therapy for the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration. This protocol describes the generation of a large-eyed model of geographic atrophy and the subretinal transplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells into this model of disease.

Geographic atrophy (GA), the late stage of dry age-related macular degeneration is characterized by loss of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer, ...

Biology

Revitalizing Sight: Stem Cell Therapy for Retinal Degeneration

Sub-Retinal Delivery of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Photoreceptor Progenitors in rd10 Mice

Regeneration of photoreceptor cells using human pluripotent stem cells is a promising therapy for the treatment of both hereditary and aging retinal diseases at advanced stages. We have shown human recombinant retina-specific laminin isoform matrix is able to support the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to photoreceptor progenitors. In addition, sub-retinal injection of these cells has also shown partial restoration in the rd10 rodent and rabbit models. Sub-retinal injection is known to be an established method that has been used to deliver pharmaceutical compounds to the photoreceptor cells and retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) layer of the eye due to its proximity to the target space. It has also been used to deliver adeno-associated viral vectors into the sub-retinal space to treat retinal diseases. The sub-retinal delivery of pharmaceutical compounds and cells in the murine model is challenging due to the constraint in the size of the murine eyeball. This protocol describes the detailed procedure for the preparation of hESC-derived photoreceptor progenitor cells for injection and the sub-retinal delivery technique of these cells in genetic retinitis pigmentosa mutant, rd10 mice. This approach allows cell therapy to the targeted area, in particular the outer nuclear layer of the retina, where diseases leading to photoreceptor degeneration occur.

Author Spotlight: Advancing Vision Restoration - Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Retinal Diseases 

We describe a detailed protocol for the preparation of post-cryopreserved hESC-derived photoreceptor progenitor cells and the sub-retinal delivery of these cells in rd10 mice.

Regeneration of photoreceptor cells using human pluripotent stem cells is a promising therapy for the treatment of both hereditary and aging retinal ...

Cryopreservation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells at the Optimal Stage

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