CHARACTERISTICS OF EMBRYONIC RETINA TRANSPLANTED TO RAT AND RABBIT RETINA

When aggregates of immature retina are transplanted to lesioned adult retina, the donor cells reorganize themselves into folded sheets and rosettes. With the exception of retinal ganglion cells and an inner limiting membrane, most cells types and all layers develop, corresponding to the normal retina. The transplants can integrate with the adult host retina without the presence of glial barriers. Mouse and human donor retinas have been transplanted to immunosuppressed rat hosts with long-term survival. Transplants of embryonic retina cografted with RPE can contain an apparent ganglion cell layer and an inner limiting membrane, which are not observed in transplants of retina alone. Embryonic rat donor retinas can be transplanted successfully after long-term storage in liquid nitrogen.