Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32945842›Full record

ArticleInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science2020

Retina Organoid Transplants Develop Photoreceptors and Improve Visual Function in RCS Rats With RPE Dysfunction.

Bin Lin, Bryce T McLelland, Robert B Aramant, Biju B Thomas, Gabriel Nistor, Hans S Keirstead, Magdalene J Seiler

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 56 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
56citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.9field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

56 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 75 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Animal models for the evaluation of retinal stem cell therapies.Progress in retinal and eye research · 2025
    Review
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Atrophic Macular Degeneration and Stem Cell Therapy: A Clinical Review.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025
    Review
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Bin LinPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California at Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States.
Bryce T McLellandPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California at Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States.
Robert B AramantPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California at Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States.
Biju B ThomasUSC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States.
Gabriel NistorAIVITA Biomedical Inc., Irvine, California, United States.
Hans S KeirsteadAIVITA Biomedical Inc., Irvine, California, United States.
Magdalene J SeilerPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California at Irvine, School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States.
University of California, Irvine · USUniversity of Southern California · US

Funding

Univ.of Calif., Irvine Cancer Center Support GrantP30CA062203 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI Melanie Funes · 1994 to 2026
$57.9M
Uncover Strategies Used By Biological SystemsP50GM076516 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI NIE, QING · 2007 to 2016
$25.1M
3D retina-RPE constructs for vision restoration in new retinal degeneration mR01EY024045 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI KEIRSTEAD, HANS S · 2014 to 2016
$1.0M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA062203NEI NIH HHS R01 EY024045NIGMS NIH HHS P50 GM076516
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: To study if human embryonic stem cell-derived photoreceptors could survive and function without the support of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) after transplantation into Royal College of Surgeons rats, a rat model of retinal degeneration caused by RPE dysfunction. Methods: CSC14 human embryonic stem cells were differentiated into primordial eye structures called retinal organoids. Retinal organoids were analyzed by quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence and compared with human fetal retina. Retinal organoid sheets (30-70 day of differentiation) were transplanted into immunodeficient RCS rats, aged 44 to 56 days. The development of transplant organoids in vivo in relation to the host was examined by optical coherence tomography. Visual function was assessed by optokinetic testing, electroretinogram, and superior colliculus electrophysiologic recording. Cryostat sections were analyzed for various retinal, synaptic, and donor markers. Results: Retinal organoids showed similar gene expression to human fetal retina transplanted rats demonstrated significant improvement in visual function compared with RCS nonsurgery and sham surgery controls by ERGs at 2 months after surgery (but not later), optokinetic testing (up to 6 months after surgery) and electrophysiologic superior colliculus recordings (6-8 months after surgery). The transplanted organoids survived more than 7 months; developed photoreceptors with inner and outer segments, and other retinal cells; and were well-integrated within the host. Conclusions: This study, to our knowledge, is the first to show that transplanted photoreceptors survive and function even with host's dysfunctional RPE. Our findings suggest that transplantation of organoid sheets from stem cells may be a promising approach/therapeutic for blinding diseases.

Indexed as

AnimalsDisease Models, AnimalHumansOrganoidsPhotoreceptor CellsRatsRats, Mutant StrainsRetinal DegenerationRetinal Pigment EpitheliumTomography, Optical Coherence

Identifiers

PMID32945842
PMCPMC7509771
OpenAlexW3087317758

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.