Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41152974›Full record

ArticleStem cell research & therapy2025

Dynamic molecular and cellular characteristics of VSX2-positive retinal progenitor cells in human retinal organoids.

Dandan Zheng, Yuan Wang, Yuanyuan Guan, Ping Xu, Bingbing Xie, Guanjie Gao, Xiaoming Yu, Fuhua Peng, Mengqing Xiang, Xiufeng Zhong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

10 authors.

Dandan Zheng *State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Yuan Wang *State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Yuanyuan GuanState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Ping XuState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Bingbing XieState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Guanjie GaoState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Xiaoming YuGuangzhou Genedenovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, 511400, China.
Fuhua PengDepartment of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat- sen University, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
Mengqing XiangState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Xiufeng ZhongState Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, 510060, China. zhongxf7@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8211-261X

Funding

a Joint Grant from the Science & Technology Project of Guangzhou and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University 202201020312Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Major Blinding Eye Diseases Prevention and Treatment 2024-PIZC-029the National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFC2506100the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81970842the National Natural Science Foundation of China 82172957
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe lack of understanding of the molecular and cellular characteristics of human retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) has hindered their application in cell therapy for retinal degenerative diseases. This study aims to employ retinal organoids (ROs) derived from a VSX2-enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) reporter human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line for positive selection of human RPCs, investigate their features, and facilitate their applications.

methodshiPSCs were differentiated into three-dimensional ROs following established protocols. The fidelity of the VSX2-eGFP reporter was confirmed through immunostaining. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was employed to select VSX2-eGFP-positive (+) cells at distinct developmental stages, followed by bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to assess their transcriptome profile. Immunostaining and flow cytometry were utilized to validate the identity of VSX2-eGFP+ cells and potential cluster of differentiation (CD) biomarkers for identifying human RPCs.

resultshiPSCs were successfully differentiated into ROs containing abundant RPCs. The spatiotemporal activity of the VSX2-eGFP reporter recapitulated the dynamic expression of endogenous VSX2 protein. Compared to VSX2-eGFP-negative (-) cells, VSX2-eGFP+ cells mainly exhibited characteristics of RPCs at early stages of retinal development and of bipolar cells at late stages. RNA-seq analysis revealed transcriptional heterogeneity within VSX2-eGFP+ cells across four distinct developmental stages. Moreover, the dynamic expression of 394 known CD biomarkers in VSX2-eGFP+ cells at distinct developmental stages was analyzed herein for the first time. One CD biomarker, TNFRSF1B, which has never been reported to be expressed in RPCs, was found to be highly expressed in RPCs at the early stages and might serve as a candidate CD biomarker for sorting RPCs.

conclusionsThis study provides valuable insights into the molecular and cellular characteristics of human RPCs, especially their expression profiles of CD biomarkers, laying a foundation for research on retinal development and the clinical translation of hiPSC-derived RPCs.

Indexed as

Homeodomain ProteinsInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsOrganoidsRetinaStem CellsCell DifferentiationGreen Fluorescent ProteinsHumansTranscription FactorsGreen Fluorescent ProteinsHomeodomain ProteinsTranscription FactorsVSX2 protein, humanCell therapyCluster of differentiation biomarkerRetinal degenerative diseaseRetinal organoidRetinal progenitor cellVSX2

Identifiers

PMID41152974
PMCPMC12570740

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Registered trials

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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.