Rat retinal progenitor cells and a retinal pigment epithelial factor

Retinal progenitor cells were isolated from explants of neonatal rat retina s and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and reverse transcr iptase-polymerase chain reaction and by their response to an isolated retin al pigment epithelial cell cell factor. The isolated progenitor cells demon strated nuclei with abundant euchromatin typical of progenitor cells and sh owed the presence of nestin and opsin message. A protein (similar to 67 kDa ) isolated from conditioned media of cultured rat RPE cells promoted the su rvival of isolated retinal progenitor cells. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.